How do we remember (better)?

Every single day, all day long,

we make extensive use of our memory. At what time was that meeting again? Did we close the fridge at home properly this morning? A failing memory can trouble our everyday tasks, while a great memory can greatly ease our lives, for example in memorizing a list or learning a new language. There are many things that can influence memory development during our upbringing, but also in adulthood its performance might change over time. How does the brain handle this on a neuronal level? Can anything be done to boost memory performance? And why is it that we don’t have memories from before the age of four?
 
You might still have a memory of this Science Cafe being moved due to illness. On a second chance, Monday January 16th, memory experts Freyja Ólafsdóttir and Boris Konrad of the Radboud University will be welcomed in the Shamrock to introduce us to the wonders of memory. Ólafsdóttir takes a fundamental approach, implementing a range of techniques that allow the investigation of single neuron activity and their embedding in neuronal network patterns. In this way, she investigates the development of spatial and episodic memory in rodents. Konrad, on the other hand, studies the neuronal principles underlying memory enhancement in humans and the advantages of different memory strategies. Moreover, he investigates the effects of modern technology on our brain. The inspiring musical presence of Punch! will make this a night to remember (with ease)!

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