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    Prolonged rote learning produces delayed memory facilitation and metabolic changes in the hippocampus of the ageing human brain


    Roche, Richard and Mullally, Sinéad L. and McNulty, Jonathan P. and Hayden, Judy and Brennan, Paul and Doherty, Colin P. and Fitzsimons, Mary and McMackin, Deirdre and Prendergast, Julie and Sukumaran, Sunita and Mangaoang, Maeve A. and Robertson, Ian H. and O'Mara, Shane (2009) Prolonged rote learning produces delayed memory facilitation and metabolic changes in the hippocampus of the ageing human brain. BMC Neuroscience, 10 (136). ISSN 1471-2202

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    Abstract

    Repeated rehearsal is one method by which verbal material may be transferred from short-to long-term memory. We hypothesised that extended engagement of memory structures through prolonged rehearsal would result in enhanced efficacy of recall and also of brain structures implicated in new learning. Twenty-four normal participants aged 55-70 (mean = 60.1) engaged in six weeks of rote learning, during which they learned 500 words per week every week (prose, poetry etc.). An extensive battery of memory tests was administered on three occasions, each six weeks apart. In addition, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) was used to measure metabolite levels in seven voxels of interest (VOIs) (including hippocampus) before and after learning.

    Item Type: Article
    Keywords: Rote learning; Memory facilitation; Hippocampus; Human brain; Ageing.
    Academic Unit: Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology
    Item ID: 1798
    Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2202-10-136
    Depositing User: Richard Roche
    Date Deposited: 19 Jan 2010 15:49
    Journal or Publication Title: BMC Neuroscience
    Publisher: BioMed Central Ltd
    Refereed: Yes
    URI:
    Use Licence: This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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