Hi all,

Dr Arianna Moccia will be presenting her talk entitled: *How do we select memories? Goal-states and consequences of the pre-retrieval control of episodic memory*

We really hope to see everyone at YNiC! The talks will take place *next Wednesday (the 25th of October) at 4pm*. If you are unable to attend the talk in person, you can catch it on zoom using the following link: https://york-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/96762553290?pwd=UEluT1lMd3V5azY5YzNmWkJCV1VTdz0... https://www.google.com/url?q=https://york-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/96762553290?pwd%3DUEluT1lMd3V5azY5YzNmWkJCV1VTdz09&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1681979309240863&usg=AOvVaw1V8mxn3A7UZR8fs1w-oipq .

Quick reminder that all our upcoming seminar talks are on our YNiC seminar calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0?cid=Y19mZDNiNjNhY2Y4NzNiZDVkYzhhZDQ...

We look forward to seeing you then! Becky

Selective retrieval means picking specific memories out of many encoded traces to inform present actions. To do so, control processes need to act prior to the point of retrieval. Neuroimaging has shown that we can select memories in this way, but little is known about the factors and mechanisms that enable pre-retrieval selection in episodic memory. We tested this in a first set of electrophysiological studies. Results showed that internal control modified recollection-related ERPs – the left parietal old/new effects – when the external retrieval cues overlapped with targeted traces. Goal-related effects arising from comparing ERPs elicited by the new items also tracked cue overlap before recollection was complete, indicating that control was engaged prior to retrieval. But how is selection achieved during retrieval? Using multivariate pattern analysis in these two datasets, we showed that study phase neural patterns matching the current retrieval goal were reinstated before the retrieval cues were presented, indicating that study context was reinstated in preparation to retrieve targeted information. A final study using fMRI to investigate selective retrieval in the brain showed that internal goals alone modified activation and neural representations of task-relevant features in content-specific regions. Goal- directed preparatory reinstatement of study context was detected in both domain-general control regions and content-specific regions. However, while activation in domain general areas predicted subsequent memory performance, goal-directed reinstatement did not do so significantly, suggesting that further, generic control mechanisms may support readiness to remember sought-for episodic information.