Studies on the small creatures could help us improve our memories

Dec 27, 2011 15:00 GMT  ·  By

Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston (UTHealth) say that sea snails and humans are actually pretty similar when it comes to studies dealing with memories. A new research carried out by the team reveals a new way of boosting memory, which was inspired by the mollusks.

The work has numerous potential applications, such as helping those who suffer from a variety of neural impairments. These even include damage caused by congenital cognitive impairments, stroke, aging and traumatic brain injuries.

The essence of the new learning strategy is to identify peak times when the brain is primed for acquiring new data, and scheduled learning sessions to coincide with these peaks. “We found that memory could be enhanced appreciably,” researcher John H. Byrne, PhD, explains.

Identifying periods when learning potential is highest could lead to better planning for schools, and will enable more students to remember more data, EurekAlert reports.