Advances in Memory Control

Dear Colleagues,

The human brain has evolved so that it can acquire, retain, and use huge and complex amounts of information for a variety of purposes. Thus, for example, long-term memory is crucial for remembering events and knowing conceptual facts about the world, but it also plays a key role in language, decision making, reasoning, or planning future acts. Importantly, decades of research have shown that human memory can be understood in terms of systems (i.e., declarative vs. nondeclarative memory), stages (i.e., encoding, consolidation, retrieval) and types of information involved (i.e., personal events, facts, skills). Over the years, however, it has also become clear that effortful (top-down) control processes contribute to the regulation of information in memory. Mnemonic strategies and metacognition were originally thought of as control processes that could be trained to enhance cognitive abilities more generally. More recently, the interplay between executive control processes and distinct memory systems has drawn researchers’ attention. Thus, for example, it has been proposed that inhibitory control is recruited to either disrupt encoding or stop the retrieval of unwanted memories (which can lead to motivated forgetting), and that executive mechanisms can shape semantic retrieval according to the task or context. Similarly, a variety of control processes are thought to prevent irrelevant/outdated information from occupying working memory and explain individual and age differences in working memory performance. Nonetheless, there is still the need to understand the underpinning control mechanisms of memory systems to sustain/improve quality of life across the lifespan and even in clinical conditions.

The aim of this Special Issue is to gather cutting-edge research looking into the cognitive and neural mechanisms allowing memory regulation (i.e., by modulating information accessibility in declarative memory or information availability in working memory). Manuscripts reporting studies on motivated forgetting, episodic memory, working memory, memory illusions, prospective memory, or executive control training are especially welcome as long as their findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms that underlie memory control and its enhancement. In addition, experimental research investigating these issues in the context of lifespan development (i.e., children, older adults), clinical (including learning disabilities in children) or psychiatric conditions and everyday functioning are also appreciated. Submitted manuscripts are expected to report research involving the use of behavioral, neuroimaging, neurophysiological, or neuromodulation techniques.

Research articles, review articles, as well as short communications are invited.

Prof. Dr. Carlos J. Gómez-Ariza
Guest Editors

Prof. Dr. Erika Borella
Co-Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• Inhibitory control
• Interference control
• Motivated forgetting
• Thought substitution
• Individual differences (including age differences and clinical conditions)
• Cognitive training
• Emotional memories
• Episodic memory
• Working memory
• Prospective memory