Neural signatures of test-potentiated learning in parietal cortex
Open accessAbstract
Testing, or retrieval practice, is beneficial for long-term memory both directly, by enhancing performance on tested information, and indirectly, by facilitating learning from subsequent encounters with the information. Although a wealth of behavioral research has examined the "testing effect," neuroimaging has provided little insight regarding the potential mechanisms that underlie the benefits of retrieval practice. Here, fMRI was used to examine the effects of retrieval practice on later study trials. Human subjects studied pairs of associated words, which were then tested, restudied, or neither tested nor restudied. All pairs were then studied once more in expectation of a final test. We asked how this Final Study episode was affected by prior history (whether the pair had been previously tested, restudied, or neither). The data revealed striking similarities between responses in lateral parietal cortex in the present study and those in a host of studies explicitly tapping recognition memory processes. Moreover, activity in lateral parietal cortex during Final Study was correlated with a behavioral index of test-potentiated learning. We conclude that retrieval practice may enhance learning by promoting the recruitment of retrieval mechanisms during subsequent study opportunities.
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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 Nelson et al., 2013
The section ‘Neural activity in left pIPL/dorsal AG is correlated with “new learning”’ (page unavailable) reports a significant correlation between parietal activity during Final Study and later recall of items missed on the initial test. It also says the correlation was absent for the other item conditions. Thus the paper supports a specific encoding–recall association, but not an unqualified claim that parietal activations were consistently correlated with successful long-term retention. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe brain mechanisms of the testing effect have been examined during encoding or the learning of material.
“The brain mechanisms of the testing effect have been examined during encoding or the learning of material (Nelson et al., 2013), but the brain basis of the testing”
From Neural Correlates of Long-Term Memory Enhancement Following Retrieval Practice (2021) · cites this paper as Nelson et al., 2013
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 Nelson et al., 2013
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Practicing Retrieval Facilitates Learning
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Neural Correlates of Long-Term Memory Enhancement Following Retrieval Practice
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- Authors
- Nelson, S. M., Arnold, K. M., Gilmore, A. W., & McDermott, K. B.
- Affiliations
- Washington University in St. Louis (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Society for Neuroscience
- Published
- 2013-07-17
- Volume
- 33
- Issue
- 29
- Pages
- 11754-11762
- ISSN
- 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
- 1529-2401
- PMC
- PMC6794054
- OpenAlex
- W2043174078
- Cited by
- 57
- References
- 65
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 4
- FWCI
- 3.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Digital Commons@Becker (Washington University School of Medicine) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation (1143954)
- James S. McDonnell Foundation
- 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
- retrieval practice, testing effect, lateral parietal cortex, recognition memory, long-term memory, restudy, word pair learning, neural mechanisms of learning
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Brain Mapping, Female, Humans, Learning, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Parietal Lobe, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Photic Stimulation, Psychomotor Performance, Reaction Time, Mental Recall, Functional Neuroimaging
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