Retrieval induces adaptive forgetting of competing memories via cortical pattern suppression
Open accessAbstract
Remembering a past experience can, surprisingly, cause forgetting. Forgetting arises when other competing traces interfere with retrieval and inhibitory control mechanisms are engaged to suppress the distraction they cause. This form of forgetting is considered to be adaptive because it reduces future interference. The effect of this proposed inhibition process on competing memories has, however, never been observed, as behavioral methods are 'blind' to retrieval dynamics and neuroimaging methods have not isolated retrieval of individual memories. We developed a canonical template tracking method to quantify the activation state of individual target memories and competitors during retrieval. This method revealed that repeatedly retrieving target memories suppressed cortical patterns unique to competitors. Pattern suppression was related to engagement of prefrontal regions that have been implicated in resolving retrieval competition and, critically, predicted later forgetting. Thus, our findings demonstrate a cortical pattern suppression mechanism through which remembering adaptively shapes which aspects of our past remain accessible.
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Neurocognitive evidence shows that the brain engages targeted control mechanisms to resolve interference at retrieval time.
“Neurocognitive evidence further shows that the brain engages targeted control mechanisms to resolve such interference at retrieval time (Wimber et al., 2015).”
From Evaluating Memory in LLM Agents via Incremental Multi-Turn Interactions (2025) · cites this paper as Wimber et al., 2015
Neuroimaging has been used to study memory reactivation and offline consolidation processes directly, without having to interfere with them.
“Furthermore, neuroimaging has been used to study memory reactivation and offline consolidation processes directly, without having to interfere with them [148–152].”
From Multiple memory systems, multiple time points: How science can inform treatment to control the expression of unwanted emotional memories (2018) · cites this paper as [151]
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- Authors
- Wimber, M., Alink, A., Charest, I., Kriegeskorte, N., & Anderson, M. C.
- Affiliations
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Wimber, Maria
- Venue
- Nature Neuroscience
- Published
- 2015-03-16
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 582-589
- ISSN
- 1097-6256 (ISSN-L)
- 1546-1726
- PMC
- PMC4394359
- OpenAlex
- W1977249777
- Cited by
- 282
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 37 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 12
- FWCI
- 17.05
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Update notices
- correction (2018-08-15)
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Nature Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (submittedVersion)
- University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- 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
- adaptive forgetting, memory retrieval, episodic memory, inhibitory control, prefrontal cortex, template tracking, memory interference, retrieval dynamics
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Brain Mapping, Cues, Female, Hippocampus, Humans, Inhibition, Psychological, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Memory, Mental Recall, Visual Cortex, Prefrontal Cortex, Young Adult
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