Locus coeruleus activation 'resets' hippocampal event representations and separates adjacent memories.

According to a preprint abstract, researchers have found that arousal and activation of the locus coeruleus (LC) in the brain can transform continuous experiences into distinct episodic memories. The study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), neuromelanin imaging, and pupillometry to investigate this phenomenon. The researchers discovered that encountering a context shift or event boundary triggers arousal and LC processes, which predict later memory separation. These findings suggest that arousal processes initiate a neural and memory reset in response to significant changes, constructing the episodes that define everyday memory. However, it is important to note that this preprint has not yet undergone peer review. [Extracted from the article]