Modulation of striatum based non-declarative and medial temporal lobe based declarative memory predicts academic...

There is a dearth of research on the roles of non-declarative (implicit) learning linked to the striatum and declarative (explicit) learning associated with the medial temporal lobes as predictors of academic attainment.

Participants were 120 undergraduate students, studying Psychology or Engineering, who completed several long-term memory tests.

There was a significant interaction between the groups (Psychology or Engineering) and task type (declarative or non-declarative): Engineers performed better at declarative and psychologists at non-declarative learning. Furthermore, non-declarative but not declarative learning scores were significant correlates of academic achievement (r = 0.326, p < .05). Moreover, competitive modulation (activation of non-declarative learning in conjunction with deactivation of declarative learning) was a significant predictor of future academic achievement in both psychology (r = 0.264, p < .05) and Engineering (r = 0.300, p < .05) groups.

The results confirm that these declarative and non-declarative systems interact competitively and that the extent of this competition may have implications for understanding educational attainment.