| What was superior memory and why do some people have it? This research took advantage of functional MRI and digit stimuli to study the underlying neuronal mechanisms of superior memory, as well as its formation. Two experiments were conducted here, which included an "experts vs. novices" experiment (Exp.1) and a training program (Exp.2). A group of "Grand Masters of Memory" were compared with normal participants in Exp.1 to investigate the differences of task performances and brain activation between experts and novices. In Exp.2, some college students were trained to use the mnemonic of memorists for a month. These students were all novices of mnemonics and their performances during the training might reveal the formation of superior memory, producing evidence for the debate whether superior memory were made or born. In Exp.1, six regions of the frontal and parietal cortices were found to be more active in experts, including the left superior parietal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, left supramarginal, left inferior parietal lobule, right precuneus and right superior frontal gyrus. All those regions were related to episodic memory. Four neuron correlates between the six regions were more active in the expert group (left supramarginal and left middle frontal gyrus, left supramarginal and left superior parietal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule and left middle frontal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule and right superior frontal gyrus). In Exp.2, the post-training performances of digit memorizing were significantly improved when compared with their initial scores, which supported the statement that expertise was nurtured instead of inborn. The fMRI data before and after the training were carefully compared, showing a relatively stronger activation posttraining in the inferior frontal gyrus in digit learning task. These results indicated that superior memory produces activations in frontal-parietal cortices that might reflect episodic memory processing. |
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