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Published on: January 5, 2018
Memory and reward systems coproduce 'nostalgic' experiences in the brain
Kentaro Oba1, Madoka Noriuchi2, Tomoaki Atomi3
1Department of Frontier Health Science, Division of Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan, Department of Psychophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan, Division of Medical Neuroimage Analysis, Department of Community Medical Supports, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, and.
Nostalgia involves positive emotions from autobiographical memories and is linked to psychological resilience. This study reveals how memory and reward brain systems cooperate during nostalgic experiences, highlighting their roles in emotional significance and time perception.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Nostalgia, characterized by positive autobiographical memories, is crucial for psychological resilience.
- Previous neuroimaging studies suggest memory and reward systems are involved in nostalgia.
- The collaborative mechanisms between these systems in nostalgia remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between memory-reward co-activation and nostalgia using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
- To examine the underlying factors of nostalgia and their neural correlates.
- To elucidate the cooperative roles of memory and reward systems in nostalgia.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study on healthy females.
- Utilized childhood-related visual stimuli to evoke nostalgia.
- Employed factor analysis to identify dimensions of nostalgia and correlated them with neural activity.
Main Results:
- Confirmed nostalgia-related activity in memory (hippocampus - HPC) and reward systems (substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area - SN/VTA, ventral striatum - VS).
- Found significant HPC-VS co-activation, correlating with individual nostalgia tendencies.
- Identified two dimensions of nostalgia: emotional/personal significance (linked to caudal SN/VTA, anterior HPC) and chronological remoteness (linked to rostral SN/VTA).
Conclusions:
- Nostalgia involves the cooperative activity of memory and reward brain systems.
- Specific roles within these systems contribute to the emotional significance and temporal aspects of nostalgia.
- Findings enhance understanding of the neural basis of nostalgia and its contribution to psychological well-being.
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