Brain zapping can help retrieve forgotten memories

Forgotten memories can be retrieved by stimulating a specific brain region using electrical currents, scientists have found for the first time.

The research, published in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, shows that the left rostrolateral prefrontal cortex plays a critical role in memory recall.

"We found dramatically improved memory performance when we increased the excitability of this region," said Jesse Rissman, an assistant professor at University of California, Los Angeles in the US.

The left rostrolateral prefrontal cortex is important for high-level thought, including monitoring and integrating information processed in other areas of the brain, Rissman said.

This area is located behind the left side of the forehead, between the eyebrow and the hairline.

"We think this brain area is particularly important in accessing knowledge that you formed in the past and in making decisions about it," said Rissman.

The psychologists conducted experiments with three groups of people ...