Evidence implicating theta rhythms in declarative memory encoding and retrieval, together with the notion that both retrieval and consolidation involve memory reinstatement or replay, suggests that post-learning theta rhythm modulation can promote early consolidation of newly formed memories. Building on earlier work employing theta neurofeedback,…

Episodic retrieval plays a functional-adaptive role in supporting divergent creative thinking, the ability to creatively combine different pieces of information. However, the same constructive memory process that provides this benefit can also lead to memory errors. Prior behavioral work has shown that there is a positive correlation between the…

Linguistic categories can impact visual perception. For instance, learning that two objects have different names can enhance their discriminability. Previous studies have identified a typical pattern of categorical perception, characterized by faster discrimination of stimuli from different categories, a neural mismatch response during early…

The primary motor cortex (M1) is crucial for motor skill learning. We examined its role in interleaved practice, which enhances retention (vs. repetitive practice) through M1-dependent consolidation. We hypothesized that cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (ctDCS) to M1 would disrupt retention. We found that ctDCS reduced retention…

Successful language comprehension requires the rapid deployment of working memory resources alongside the capacity to predict upcoming linguistic input. While previous research views these as competing factors, this dissertation explores a unified theory of processing complexity and evaluates the interaction between memory and prediction. The…

As science and technology rapidly progress, it becomes increasingly important to understand how individuals comprehend expository technical texts that explain these advances. This study examined differences in individual readers' technical comprehension performance and differences among texts, using functional brain imaging to measure regional…

Advances in brain imaging have led to a paradigm shift in neuroscience research, moving from focusing on individual brain structures to investigating neural networks and connections. However, neuroanatomy education still tends to concentrate on discrete brain regions. Two separate experiments in undergraduate neuroscience courses investigated…

This study used event-related potential (ERP) and retrieval practice effect paradigm to investigate the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the retrieval practice effect in a third language (L3) vocabulary learning. Thirty-five Chinese (First Language, L1)-English (Second Language, L2) bilinguals without prior knowledge of French (L3) studied 120…

In many domains, learners extract recurring units from continuous sequences. For example, in unknown languages, fluent speech is perceived as a continuous signal. Learners need to extract the underlying words from this continuous signal and then memorize them. One prominent candidate mechanism is statistical learning, whereby learners track how…

Handwriting was a therapeutic intervention with an adolescent victim of a serious electrical accident that occurred in 1972. It was initiated two months after the accident as one aspect of educational therapy. The handwriting tasks involved copying numbers, printing letters, copying shapes, practicing cursive letters, writing sentences, and…

School-going individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) face challenges in educational settings, including reduced academic performance, motor- and social skills. Embodied cognition (EC), which emphasises the significant role of the body in human cognition, encompasses aspects such as motor control, non-verbal communication, and memory.…

Students' school requirements and learning activities engage many different cognitive processes, including language processing, memory, learning, attention, reasoning, decision-making, and social interaction. However, students rarely learn about these cognitive processes, or the brain mechanisms underlying them and therefore lack the critical…