Learned connections between stimuli and reward – like the positive emotions associated with popular brands – have a powerful influence over our future decisions. Scientists have started to discover why.
UNSW researchers have investigated the impact of probiotics on gut health and cognitive function, and found they don't always live up to their promise and could even have negative impacts on memory.
Even a short-term diet of junk food can have a detrimental effect on cognitive ability with impaired memory and brain inflammation after just a week, UNSW reseach finds.
So far there is no simple explanation for déjà vu, but advances in neuroimaging techniques may aid our understanding of memory and the tricks our minds play, writes Amy Reichelt.
