Finding the sweet spot of memory modification: An fMRI study on episodic prediction error strength and type

Previous research has highlighted the critical role of prediction errors (PEs) in signaling the need to adapt memory representations in response to unexpected changes in the environment. Yet, the influence of PE type and strength on memory remains underexplored. In this study, participants encoded n...

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Main Authors: Nina Liedtke, Marius Boeltzig, Falko Mecklenbrauck, Sophie Siestrup, Ricarda I. Schubotz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:NeuroImage
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925001971
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author Nina Liedtke
Marius Boeltzig
Falko Mecklenbrauck
Sophie Siestrup
Ricarda I. Schubotz
author_facet Nina Liedtke
Marius Boeltzig
Falko Mecklenbrauck
Sophie Siestrup
Ricarda I. Schubotz
author_sort Nina Liedtke
collection DOAJ
description Previous research has highlighted the critical role of prediction errors (PEs) in signaling the need to adapt memory representations in response to unexpected changes in the environment. Yet, the influence of PE type and strength on memory remains underexplored. In this study, participants encoded naturalistic dialogues prior to undergoing fMRI scanning. During the fMRI session, they listened to dialogues that had been modified in their surface or gist, to varying extents. As expected, our findings revealed robust activation in the inferior frontal gyrus for all PEs. Notably, gist modifications elicited additional activations within the episodic memory network, including the hippocampus. A post-fMRI recognition test demonstrated that surface modifications had no significant impact on memory. Conversely, weak gist changes impaired memory for the original content and hindered learning of the modification. These weak gist changes also triggered activation in the parahippocampal cortex. These results underscore the importance of both the type and strength of PEs in shaping brain activations and memory outcomes, highlighting their complex interplay in cognitive processes.
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spelling doaj-art-df28e7f1fb004e82b821ba164515545f2025-08-20T02:27:11ZengElsevierNeuroImage1095-95722025-05-0131112119410.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121194Finding the sweet spot of memory modification: An fMRI study on episodic prediction error strength and typeNina Liedtke0Marius Boeltzig1Falko Mecklenbrauck2Sophie Siestrup3Ricarda I. Schubotz4Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Fliednerstraße 21, 48149 Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Germany; Corresponding author at: Department of Psychology, Fliednerstraße 21, 48149 Münster, Germany.Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Fliednerstraße 21, 48149 Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, GermanyDepartment of Psychology, University of Münster, Fliednerstraße 21, 48149 Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, GermanyDepartment of Psychology, University of Münster, Fliednerstraße 21, 48149 Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, GermanyDepartment of Psychology, University of Münster, Fliednerstraße 21, 48149 Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, GermanyPrevious research has highlighted the critical role of prediction errors (PEs) in signaling the need to adapt memory representations in response to unexpected changes in the environment. Yet, the influence of PE type and strength on memory remains underexplored. In this study, participants encoded naturalistic dialogues prior to undergoing fMRI scanning. During the fMRI session, they listened to dialogues that had been modified in their surface or gist, to varying extents. As expected, our findings revealed robust activation in the inferior frontal gyrus for all PEs. Notably, gist modifications elicited additional activations within the episodic memory network, including the hippocampus. A post-fMRI recognition test demonstrated that surface modifications had no significant impact on memory. Conversely, weak gist changes impaired memory for the original content and hindered learning of the modification. These weak gist changes also triggered activation in the parahippocampal cortex. These results underscore the importance of both the type and strength of PEs in shaping brain activations and memory outcomes, highlighting their complex interplay in cognitive processes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925001971Episodic memoryPrediction errorMemory updatingfMRI
spellingShingle Nina Liedtke
Marius Boeltzig
Falko Mecklenbrauck
Sophie Siestrup
Ricarda I. Schubotz
Finding the sweet spot of memory modification: An fMRI study on episodic prediction error strength and type
NeuroImage
Episodic memory
Prediction error
Memory updating
fMRI
title Finding the sweet spot of memory modification: An fMRI study on episodic prediction error strength and type
title_full Finding the sweet spot of memory modification: An fMRI study on episodic prediction error strength and type
title_fullStr Finding the sweet spot of memory modification: An fMRI study on episodic prediction error strength and type
title_full_unstemmed Finding the sweet spot of memory modification: An fMRI study on episodic prediction error strength and type
title_short Finding the sweet spot of memory modification: An fMRI study on episodic prediction error strength and type
title_sort finding the sweet spot of memory modification an fmri study on episodic prediction error strength and type
topic Episodic memory
Prediction error
Memory updating
fMRI
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925001971
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