Rewiring the brain with repeated retrieval: a parametric fMRI study of the testing effect
Abstract
The "testing effect" refers to the beneficial effects on memory performance from being tested, a phenomenon of potentially substantial implications in educational settings. While the effect itself is firmly established in previous research, little is known of related brain changes. Here we used fMRI and a parametric design to show that repeated successful retrieval during a memory acquisition phase leads to higher brain activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) at a subsequent test phase. The extent of ACC activity increase correlated across individuals with memory performance 5 months later. In relation to recent research that associates the ACC with memory consolidation processes, the present results suggest that the testing effect may operate at the systems level by enhancing consolidation of memory representations.
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Parietal cortex activations during the encoding of test-effect paradigms have consistently been correlated with successful long-term retention.
“Parietal cortex activations during the encoding of test-effect paradigms have consistently been correlated with successful long-term retention (Eriksson et al., 2011; Nelson et al., 2013; Van den Broek et al., 2013; Wing et al., 2013; Keresztes et al., 2014; Liu et al., 2014;”
From Neural Correlates of Long-Term Memory Enhancement Following Retrieval Practice (2021) · cites this paper as Eriksson et al., 2011
Studies examining the encoding phase of test-effect paradigms have demonstrated that the long-term retention advantage attributed to retrieval practice is based on the enhancement of cognitive processes that involve both memory successes at encoding and at retrieval.
“Studies examining the encoding phase of test-effect paradigms have demonstrated that the long-term retention advantage attributed to retrieval practice is based on the enhancement of cognitive processes that involve both memory successes at encoding (i.e., strengthening associations between cues and responses) and at retrieval (i.e., memory search processes).”
From Neural Correlates of Long-Term Memory Enhancement Following Retrieval Practice (2021) · cites this paper as Eriksson et al., 2011
Activations in the anterior cingulate cortex, middle temporal gyri, anterior hippocampus, lateral temporal neocortex, and medial prefrontal cortex have all been related to encoding differences in individuals who practiced both study and retrieval vs. repeated study only.
“Activations in the anterior cingulate cortex (Eriksson et al., 2011), middle temporal gyri (Van den Broek et al., 2013), anterior hippocampus, lateral temporal neocortex, and medial prefrontal cortex (Wing et al., 2013) have all been related to encoding differences in individuals who practiced both study and retrieval vs. repeated study only.”
From Neural Correlates of Long-Term Memory Enhancement Following Retrieval Practice (2021) · cites this paper as Eriksson et al., 2011
Posterior parietal cortex activations have consistently been observed during similar studies of the testing effect during encoding and retrieval.
“Posterior parietal cortex activations have consistently been observed during similar studies of the testing effect during encoding (Eriksson et al., 2011; Nelson et al., 2013; Wing et al., 2013; Van den Broek et al., 2013; Keresztes et al., 2014; Liu et al., 2014; Vestergren and Nyberg, 2014; Wirebring et al., 2015) and retrieval (Keresztes et al., 2014; Wirebring et al., 2015).”
From Neural Correlates of Long-Term Memory Enhancement Following Retrieval Practice (2021) · cites this paper as Eriksson et al., 2011
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- Authors
- Eriksson, J., Kalpouzos, G., & Nyberg, L.
- Affiliations
- Umeå University (SE)
- Corresponding author
- Eriksson, Johan
- Venue
- Neuroscience Letters
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-11
- Volume
- 505
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 36-40
- ISSN
- 0304-3940 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1982695617
- Cited by
- 45
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 1.62
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neuroscience Letters (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
- Keywords
- testing effect, retrieval practice, memory consolidation, anterior cingulate cortex, memory performance, individual differences, brain activity
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Association Learning, Brain, Brain Mapping, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Oxygen, Probability, Mental Recall, Time Factors, Vocabulary, Linear Models
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