Hypothesized Mechanisms Through Which Exercise May Attenuate Memory Interference

Lindsay K Crawford; Hong Li; Liye Zou; Gao-Xia Wei; Paul D Loprinzi

doi:10.3390/medicina56030129

Hypothesized Mechanisms Through Which Exercise May Attenuate Memory Interference

Medicina (Kaunas). 2020 Mar 14;56(3):129. doi: 10.3390/medicina56030129.

Authors

Lindsay K Crawford¹, Hong Li², Liye Zou³, Gao-Xia Wei⁴, Paul D Loprinzi¹

Affiliations

¹ Exercise & Memory Laboratory, Department of Health, Exercise Science, and Recreation Management, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS 38677, USA.
² School of Psychology, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610101, China.
³ Exercise & Mental Health Laboratory, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.

Abstract

In this paper we introduce a mechanistic model through which exercise may enhance episodic memory, specifically via attenuating proactive and retroactive memory interference. We discuss the various types of memory, different stages of memory function, review the mechanisms behind forgetting, and the mechanistic role of exercise in facilitating pattern separation (to attenuate memory interference).

Keywords: cognition; exercise; proactive memory interference; retroactive memory interference.

MeSH terms

Cognition / physiology
Exercise / physiology*
Humans
Learning / physiology
Memory Disorders / prevention & control*
Memory Disorders / psychology