Can electrical brain stimulation improve memory?

A study recently published in Nature Neuroscience demonstrated that electrical currents led to improved memory and persisted for up to a month. Stimulating the prefrontal cortex with electrical currents was shown to improve long-term memory in previous studies.

Using electrical currents on the scalp, researchers discovered this could improve memory. The participants did a memory task where they were asked to recall lists of words read aloud. Both groups saw their memory performance improve, and in some cases even lasting a month after.

There is significant debate among scientists about the effects of electrical stimulation on memory. With this study, however, there are very strong arguments for its connection to improvements in memory in its users.

Memory improvement from electrical stimulation may not last beyond one month. The researchers want to study how this electrical stimulation is applicable to other types of memory tasks, and whether improvements can last for a longer period of time. The team is also looking into whether it can help people with conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.