Foundation Of Memory Research Articles

Musician’s dystonia: a perspective on the strongest evidence towards new prevention and mitigation treatments

This perspective article addresses the critical and up-to-date problem of task-specific musician’s dystonia (MD) from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Theoretically, MD is explored as a result of impaired sensorimotor interplay across different brain circuits, supported by the most frequently cited scientific evidence—each referenced dozens of times in Scopus. Practically, MD is a significant issue as it occurs over 60 times more frequently in musicians compared to other professions, underscoring the influence of individual training as well as environmental, social, and emotional factors. To address these challenges, we propose a novel application of the FeeSyCy principle (feedback-synchrony-plasticity), which emphasizes the pivotal role of feedback in guiding inter-neuronal synchronization and plasticity—the foundation of learning and memory. This model integrates with established literature to form a comprehensive framework for understanding MD as an impaired FeeSyCy-mediated relationship between the individual and their environment, ultimately leading to trauma. The proposed approach provides significant advantages by enabling the development of innovative therapeutic and preventive strategies. Specifically, it lays the groundwork for multimodal psycho-physical therapies aimed at restoring balance in the neural circuits affected by MD. These strategies include personalized psychotherapy combined with physical rehabilitation to address both the psychological and physiological dimensions of MD. This integration offers a practical and value-added solution to this pressing problem, with potential for broad applicability across similar conditions.

Historical Memories of Russians Today (history of the XX century Russia in the optics of families’ stories)

Referring to the data of long-term sociological research by the Federal Scientific Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the author studies how the historical memory in contemporary Russian society is forming under the influence of the discursive politicization of the national past. The purpose of the article is to study either the images of the recent national past that are rooted in the mass consciousness of Russians being the basis of collective identity, or the changes in attitudes towards the past under the influence of the state rhetoric “historization”. The realization of the scientific purpose involves to solve some research tasks: to study the dynamics of respondents’ interest in the state’s past when political leaders used to apply to historical memory, to analyze what people in Russia think about historical truth, about the ways and the actors of its protection. Under the contemporary political context, when the past and history become tools of political competition, many persons in Russia, for whom the Soviet heritage is the foundation of national identity and family memory, support the idea of the need to protect the socially accepted interpretation of Russian history. In 2020’th the majority of the respondents (37%) claimed the need to react harshly to the distorted interpretation of some events in Russian history when whey answered the question “How should Russia react to the false interpretation of certain historical events in some Western countries?”. The historical truth is considered by the Russia’s citizens as a universal interpretation of historical events, so the majority (48%) claims it is necessary to protect historical memory by the preservation of those interpretations of the historical events, that are admitted by the society. Supporting the idea that historical truth should be protected, Russian citizens rather support harsh political statements and defensive foreign policy discourse than demonstrate real involvement into historical context, their own daily interest in protecting accepted interpretations of the past and personal concern about their correctness. In 2022 less than a third of the respondents (29%) considered the ordinary citizens should protect the historical truth, while the majority claimed the state’s leadership (67%), professional historians (49%) and social scientists (38%) should defend national historical memory.

Struggles over memory?

AbstractIn this contribution, I introduce decolonial memory activism as struggle over meaning (Deutungskampf). Decolonial memory activism is understood as a specific form of memory activism that calls for the decolonization of both memory culture and politics, which necessitates a confrontation with dynamics of violence, power, and oppression. Unlike research that has primarily focused on the contents of collective memory, I argue that decolonial memory activism seeks to fundamentally challenge and transform the epistemological foundations of collective memory itself. Grounded in decolonial theories and drawing from a shared resolution of decolonial memory activists across Germany, I illustrate three interwoven elements of hegemonic knowledge that are being challenged by decolonial memory activism: nationalism, temporality, and the storage model of memory. Through this lens, the paper suggests that an understanding of struggles over memory gains more depth by considering the epistemic dimensions of these struggles. Such an approach opens up new possibilities for peace and conflict research as well as for social and political transformations.

Taohong Siwu decoction alleviates cognitive impairment by suppressing endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis signaling pathway in vascular dementia rats

Ethnopharmacological relevanceTaohong Siwu Decoction (TSD), a classic traditional Chinese medicine formula, is used for the treatment of vascular diseases, including vascular dementia (VD). However, the mechanisms remain unclear. Aim of studyThis study aimed to investigate whether TSD has a positive effect on cognitive impairment in VD rats and to confirm that the mechanism of action is related to the Endoplasmic Reticulum stress (ERs) and cell apoptosis signaling pathway. Materials and methodsA total of 40 male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: sham-operated group (Sham), the two-vessel occlusion group (2VO), the 2VO treated with 4.5 g/kg/d TSD group (2VO + TSD-L), the 2VO treated with 13.5 g/kg/d TSD group (2VO + TSD-H). The rats underwent either 2VO surgery or sham surgery. Postoperative TSD treatment was given for 4 consecutive weeks. Behavioral tests were initiated at the end of gastrulation. Open-field test (OFT) was used to detect the activity level. The New Object Recognition test (NOR) was used to test long-term memory. The Morris water maze (MWM) test was used to examine the foundation of spatial learning and memory. As a final step, the hippocampus was taken for molecular testing. The protein levels of GRP78 (Bip), p-PERK, PERK, IRE1α, p-IRE1α, ATF6, eIF2α, p-eIF2α, ATF4, XBP1, Bcl-2 and Bax were determined by Western blot. Immunofluorescence visualizes molecular expression. ResultsIn the OFT, residence time in the central area was significantly longer in both TSD treatment groups compared to the 2VO group. In the NOR, the recognition index was obviously elevated in both TSD treatment groups. The 2VO group had a significantly longer escape latency and fewer times in crossing the location of the platform compared with the Sham group in MWM. TSD treatment reversed this notion. Pathologically, staining observations confirmed that TSD inhibited hippocampal neuronal loss and alleviated the abnormal reduction of the Nissl body. In parallel, TUNEL staining illustrated that TSD decelerated neuronal apoptosis. Western Blot demonstrated that TSD reduces the expression of ERs and apoptotic proteins. ConclusionIn this study, the significant ameliorative effect on cognitive impairment of TSD has been determined by comparing the behavioral data of the 4 groups of rats. Furthermore, it was confirmed that this effect of TSD was achieved by suppressing the ERs-mediated apoptosis signaling pathway.

THE “CANCEL CULTURE” PHENOMENON IN THE CONTEXT OF INTERGENERATIONAL INTERACTION

The object of the study is intergenerational interaction in the digital era. The relevance of the study is due to the influence of the digitalization processes of modern society and the instability of the value-normative system of various social groups differentiated by age. The work analyzes the attitude towards the values shared by the older generation of the Russian Federation in the era of digitalization in a new phenomenon of «cancel culture» context. Based on the study of the «cancel culture» concept through the most resonant examples of Western and domestic cultures an attempt is made to rethink intergenerational relationships within the modern social changes framework. The study demonstrates changing attitudes towards Russian culture in the West as well as a change in views on values in the latest political, cultural and social realities context. Changes are also taking place in the relationship between older and younger (digital) generations. The phenomenon of «cancel culture» borrowed from Western cultures significantly influences the attitude of other states to foundations of historical memory through attempts to devalue the achievements and values of previous generations and «cancel» them. It has been established that in the transformations of modern society context, its digitalization, it is necessary to strengthen the interaction of generations and prevent the «cancellation» of the values of the older generation strengthening the national culture traditions. This study has practical significance and can be used for social work with young people, the elderly, and for the formation of social policy, for the prevention of the breakdown of intergenerational ties.

Predictive maintenance of rotational machinery using deep learning

This paper describes an implementation of a deep learning-based predictive maintenance (PdM) system for industrial rotational machinery, built upon the foundation of a long short-term memory (LSTM) autoencoder and regression analysis. The autoencoder identifies anomalous patterns, while the latter, based on the autoencoder’s output, estimates the machine’s remaining useful life (RUL). Unlike prior PdM systems dependent on labelled historical data, the developed system doesn’t require it as it’s based on an unsupervised deep learning model, enhancing its adaptability. The paper also explores a robust condition monitoring system that collects machine operational data, including vibration and current parameters, and transmits them to a database via a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) network. Additionally, the study demonstrates the integration of this PdM system within a web-based framework, promoting its adoption across various industrial settings. Tests confirm the system's ability to accurately identify faults, highlighting its potential to reduce unexpected downtime and enhance machinery reliability.

Invertebrate Immunity, Natural Transplantation Immunity, Somatic and Germ Cell Parasitism, and Transposon Defense.

While the vertebrate immune system consists of innate and adaptive branches, invertebrates only have innate immunity. This feature makes them an ideal model system for studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms of innate immunity sensu stricto without reciprocal interferences from adaptive immunity. Although invertebrate immunity is evolutionarily older and a precursor of vertebrate immunity, it is far from simple. Despite lacking lymphocytes and functional immunoglobulin, the invertebrate immune system has many sophisticated mechanisms and features, such as long-term immune memory, which, for decades, have been exclusively attributed to adaptive immunity. In this review, we describe the cellular and molecular aspects of invertebrate immunity, including the epigenetic foundation of innate memory, the transgenerational inheritance of immunity, genetic immunity against invading transposons, the mechanisms of self-recognition, natural transplantation, and germ/somatic cell parasitism.

Engram Studies: A Call for Historical, Philosophical, and Sociological Approaches.

In this chapter, we identify three distinct avenues of research on the philosophical, historical, and sociopolitical dimensions of engram research. First, we single out the need to refine philosophical understandings of memory within neuroscientific research on the engram. Specifically, we question the place of constructivist and preservationist philosophical claims on memory in the formulation of the engram concept and its operationalization in contemporary neuroscience research. Second, we delve into the received historiography of the engram claiming its disappearance after Richard Semon's (1859-1918) coinage of the concept. Differently from this view, we underline that Semon's legacy is still largely undocumented: Unknown are the ways the engram circulated within studies of organic memory as well as the role Semon's ideas had in specific national contexts of research in neurosciences. Finally, another research gap on the engram concerns a socio-anthropological documentation of the factual and normative resources this research offers to think about memory in healthcare and society. Representations of memory in this research, experimental strategies of intervention into the engram, as well as their translational potential for neurodegenerative (e.g., Alzheimer's disease) and psychiatric (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder) conditions have not yet received scrutiny notwithstanding their obvious social and political relevance.All these knowledge gaps combined call for a strong commitment towards interdisciplinarity to align the ambitions of a foundational neuroscience of the engram with a socially responsible circulation of this knowledge. What role can the facts, metaphors, and interventional strategies of engram research play in the wider society? With what implications for philosophical questions at the foundation of memory, which have accompanied its study from antiquity? And what can neuro- and social scientists do jointly to shape the social and political framings of engram research?

Bonobos and chimpanzees remember familiar conspecifics for decades.

Recognition and memory of familiar conspecifics provides the foundation for complex sociality and is vital to navigating an unpredictable social world [Tibbetts and Dale, Trends Ecol. Evol. 22, 529-537 (2007)]. Human social memory incorporates content about interactions and relationships and can last for decades [Sherry and Schacter, Psychol. Rev. 94, 439-454 (1987)]. Long-term social memory likely played a key role throughout human evolution, as our ancestors increasingly built relationships that operated across distant space and time [Malone et al., Int. J. Primatol. 33, 1251-1277 (2012)]. Although individual recognition is widespread among animals and sometimes lasts for years, little is known about social memory in nonhuman apes and the shared evolutionary foundations of human social memory. In a preferential-looking eye-tracking task, we presented chimpanzees and bonobos (N = 26) with side-by-side images of a previous groupmate and a conspecific stranger of the same sex. Apes' attention was biased toward former groupmates, indicating long-term memory for past social partners. The strength of biases toward former groupmates was not impacted by the duration apart, and our results suggest that recognition may persist for at least 26 y beyond separation. We also found significant but weak evidence that, like humans, apes may remember the quality or content of these past relationships: apes' looking biases were stronger for individuals with whom they had more positive histories of social interaction. Long-lasting social memory likely provided key foundations for the evolution of human culture and sociality as they extended across time, space, and group boundaries.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SHORT-TERM MEMORY OF MEDICAL STUDENTS AT CAN THO UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY

Background: Short-term memory is the foundation of long-term memory, which greatly influences cognitive activities, especially in the field of education. Medical students contribute to showing an overview of the characteristics of short-term memory of medical students in particular and students in general in a developing country like Vietnam. Objectives: Surveying the characteristics of visual and auditory short-term memory through numerical data and image data in medical students. Materials and methods: Using a cross-sectional descriptive design method on 160 medical students studying at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy. The study includes surveys of visual and auditory short-term memory using two types of numerical and image information, using a questionnaire built based on the Nachaive method in the form of online through a website app and collected the results via email. Results: The median results of visual short-term memory (VSTM) in numerical and image data are 11 and 12 respectively. The VSTM figure in numerical data shows that the highest score is 12 (f=46). The VSTM figure in image data records that the score 12 has a dominant frequency (f=87). The median results of auditory short-term memory (ASTM) in numerical and image forms are 10 and 9 respectively. The ASTM figure in numerical data shows that the highest score is 12 (f=32). The ASTM figure in image data notes that score 9 has the highest frequency (f=37). Conclusions: Students of Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy have visual short-term memory that is superior to auditory short-term memory in terms of memorization. The results of visual short-term memory in image data are better than visual short-term memory in numerical data. Conversely, the results of auditory short-term memory in numerical data are better than auditory short-term memory in image data.

Co-exposure to low-dose lead, cadmium, and mercury promotes memory deficits in rats: Insights from the dynamics of dendritic spine pruning in brain development

Lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) are environmentally toxic heavy metals that can be simultaneously detected at low levels in the blood of the general population. Although our previous studies have demonstrated neurodevelopmental toxicity upon co-exposure to these heavy metals at these low levels, the precise mechanisms remain largely unknown. Dendritic spines are the structural foundation of memory and undergo significant dynamic changes during development. This study focused on the dynamics of dendritic spines during brain development following Pb, Cd, and Hg co-exposure-induced memory impairment. First, the dynamic characteristics of dendritic spines in the prefrontal cortex were observed throughout the life cycle of normal rats. We observed that dendritic spines increased rapidly from birth to their peak value at weaning, followed by significant pruning and a decrease during adolescence. Dendritic spines tended to be stable until their loss in old age. Subsequently, a rat model of low-dose Pb, Cd, and Hg co-exposure from embryo to adolescence was established. The results showed that exposure to low doses of heavy metals equivalent to those detected in the blood of the general population impaired spatial memory and altered the dynamics of dendritic spine pruning from weaning to adolescence. Proteomic analysis of brain and blood samples suggested that differentially expressed proteins upon heavy metal exposure were enriched in dendritic spine-related cytoskeletal regulation and axon guidance signaling pathways and that cofilin was enriched in both of these pathways. Further experiments confirmed that heavy metal exposure altered actin cytoskeleton dynamics and disturbed the dendritic spine pruning-related LIM domain kinase 1-cofilin pathway in the rat prefrontal cortex. Our findings demonstrate that low-dose Pb, Cd, and Hg co-exposure may promote memory impairment by perturbing dendritic spine dynamics through dendritic spine pruning-related signaling pathways.

Visual reflexive attention as a useful measure of development.

Cognitive psychology began over three-quarters of a century ago and we have learned a great deal in that time, including concerning the development of cognitive abilities such as perception, attention, and memory, all of which develop across infancy and childhood. Attention is one aspect of cognition that is vital to success in a variety of life activities and, arguably, the foundation of memory, learning, problem solving, decision making, and other cognitive activities. The cognitive abilities of later childhood and adulthood generally appear to depend on the reflexes, abilities, and skills of infancy. Research in developmental cognitive science can help us understand adult cognition and know when to intervene when cognitive function is at risk. This area of research can be challenging because, even in typical development, the course of cognitive development for a particular child does not always improve monotonically. In addition, the typical trajectory of this development has been understood differently from different historical perspectives. Neither the history of thought that has led to our current understanding of attention (including its various types) nor the importance of developmental aspects of attention are frequently covered in training early career researchers, especially those whose primary area of research in not attention. My goal is to provide a review that will be useful especially to those new to research in the subfield of attention. Sustained attention in adults and children has been well-studied, but a review of the history of thought on the development of reflexive attention with a focus on infancy is overdue. Therefore, I draw primarily on historical and modern literature and clarify confusing terminology as it has been used over time. I conclude with examples of how cognitive development research can contribute to scientific and applied progress.

Torsion Geometry 5-Fold Symmetry, Anholonomic Phases, Klein Bottle Logophysics, Chaos, Resonance: Applications Towards a Novel Paradigm for the Neurosciences and Consciousness

Torsion Geometry 5-Fold Symmetry, Anholonomic Phases, Klein Bottle Logophysics, Chaos, Resonance: Applications Towards a Novel Paradigm for the Neurosciences and Consciousness

Как память стала социальной?

The article, using the example of the discussion by E. Durkheim and V. Wundt, shows the formation of the idea of social memory and the method of social re­search in relation to collective memory. Such a statement of the problem allows us to trace the formation of the language of describing social phenomena and clarify the difficulties faced by modern memory studies. To solve this problem, at the first step, the author shows how the approbation of a new description lan­guage allowed us to talk about collective memory as a concept independent of psychology. Durkheim defines the sphere of social phenomena as irreducible to the individual and, therefore, pushes biological and psychological explana­tions into the background, and also justifies the independence of the subject of social science research. In the next step, the author describes individual mani­festations of collective memory in Durkheim's works. This raises the question of the role of the State influencing the institutions that ensure the transmission of collective memory. In conclusion, the author analyzes the impact of the memory sociality model proposed through a discussion with Wundt on modern research (weak attention to the ontological foundations of social memory, the ratio of per­sonal and collective memory and etc.).

Volumetric development of hippocampal subfields and hippocampal white matter connectivity: Relationship with episodic memory.

The hippocampus is a complex structure composed of distinct subfields. It has been central to understanding neural foundations of episodic memory. In the current cross-sectional study, using a large sample of 830, 3- to 21-year-olds from a unique, publicly available dataset we examined the following questions: (1) Is there elevated grey matter volume of the hippocampus and subfields in late compared to early development? (2) How does hippocampal volume compare with the rest of the cerebral cortex at different developmental stages? and (3) What is the relation between hippocampal volume and connectivity with episodic memory performance? We found hippocampal subfield volumes exhibited a nonlinear relation with age and showed a lag in volumetric change with age when compared to adjacent cortical regions (e.g., entorhinal cortex). We also observed a significant reduction in cortical volume across older cohorts, while hippocampal volume showed the opposite pattern. In addition to age-related differences in gray matter volume, dentate gyrus/cornu ammonis 3 volume was significantly related to episodic memory. We did not, however, find any associations with episodic memory performance and connectivity through the uncinate fasciculus, fornix, or cingulum. The results are discussed in the context of current research and theories of hippocampal development and its relation to episodic memory.

Concepts of historical memory and the politics of memory in the context of social and historical-humanitarian studies (historiographic analysis)

The article presents a historiographic review of historical memory and, based on this, examines the meaning and features of the process of rethinking national histories. The relevance of the presented work lies in the fact that today there is a “memorial boom”, which leads to a critical analysis of the past, a revision of the main plots of the history of the state and society. Since gaining independence, the post-Soviet countries have been embraced by the search for national identity. In this search, an important role was played by the reevaluation of one’s own history; based on new methodological approaches, the colonial experience, postcolonial transformations are being investigated. Thus, this paper aims to analyze a wide range of theoretical and historiographic material, the works of the founders of the concept of memory, fundamental works of researchers, from whom new directions came, such as the “politics of memory” or “trauma of memory”, etc. The authors of this article consider the theoretical foundations of memory, which have become significant in such sciences as sociology, history, philosophy, political science, etc. The study uses historical-genetic, historical-comparative, historical-systemic methods, as well as methods of retrospective and prospective analysis. The historiographic review of foreign and domestic authors helped to consider and analyze such concepts as historical memory and historical politics. In the works of French, German, American researchers, the theoretical and methodological foundations of the category of memory were studied. Russian and Kazakh historiography are represented by modern research, which is aimed at studying the processes associated with mythologizing, politicizing these processes, commemorative practices, local and regional aspects

Acute MPTP treatment decreases dendritic spine density of striatal medium spiny neurons via SNK-SPAR pathway in C57BL/6 mice.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a well-known neurodegenerative disorder associated with a high risk in middle-aged and elderly individuals, severely impacting the patient's quality of life. 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is frequently used to establish PD in animals. Dendritic spines are dendritic processes that form the foundation of learning and memory. Reportedly, dendritic spine density of striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) declines in PD, and this decline has been associated with PD progression; however, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Herein, we used the MPTP animal model to examine whether serum-induced kinase (SNK) and spine-associated Rap guanosine triphosphatase (SPAR) contribute to decreased dendritic spine density in striatal MSNs. MPTP was used to establish the animal model, which exhibits motor function impairment and dopaminergic cell loss. To assess spine density, Golgi staining was performed to count striatal dendritic spines, which were reduced in the MPTP group when compared with those in the normal control group. Immunohistochemistry was performed to analyze changes in SNK and SPAR expression. MPTP treatment significantly increased the expression of SNK in striatal MSNs, whereas that of SPAR was significantly decreased when compared with the normal control group. These findings offer clues to further explore the mechanism of declining dendritic spine density in patients with PD and provide evidence for potential target identification in PD.

The Influence of Movement-Evoked Pain on Lower Extremity Physical Function in Older Adults

Older adults often exhibit impaired lower extremity physical function, which promotes a sedentary lifestyle and contributes to the development of adverse health outcomes. Studies have identified several factors that contribute to lower extremity physical function in older adults, including body mass index (BMI), self-reported pain severity, and number of painful sites. An understudied area that may improve our understanding of these impairments is movement-evoked pain (MEP). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if movement-evoked pain was associated with lower extremity physical function in older adults. Older adults (n=67) completed several lower extremity physical function tasks, including a balance, gait, and chair stand assessment, and isokinetic knee flexion and extension strength testing. MEP ratings following these tasks were obtained using a visual analog scale (0-100). Pain scores from the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) were used to quantify pain severity and participants self-reported number of painful sites. Hierarchical linear regressions were run using three blocks of independent variables (Block 1 = BMI, Block 2 = WOMAC pain scores and number of painful sites, Block 3 = Movement-evoked pain) to assess contributions from each factor for each lower extremity physical function task. MEP improved the amount of variance explained in gait double support time (ΔR2 = 0.052, p = 0.023). Pain severity and number of painful sites significantly improved the amount of variance explained in stride length (ΔR2 = 0.104, p = 0.020) and repeated chair stand performance (ΔR2 = 0.205, p < 0.001). MEP accounts for a significant amount of variance in gait performance in older adults beyond the known contributions of BMI, pain severity, and number of painful sites. As such, MEP should be considered in the development of future physical function pain assessments and treatments. Grant support from NIA grants K01AG048259, R01AG059809, R01AG067757, the University of Florida Claude D. Pepper Center (P30AG028740), and the University of Florida McKnight Brain Research Foundation and Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory.

Neural, psychological, and social foundations of collective memory: Implications for common mnemonic processes, agency, and identity.

Recent advances in memory research within psychology and neuroscience have contributed to a shift from examining memory through an individualistic lens towards a growing recognition of potential social and collective influences on mnemonic processes. This shift is prominently illustrated by continuing research on collective memory. Through a scoping literature review, we identify three crucial components defining collective memory: memories held in common across individuals within a social group, which are centrally important to group identity, and which impact significantly on perceived group agency. This review attempts to distil and organize empirical evidence into (i) neural, (ii) psychological, and (iii) social foundations of collective memory, while considering the reflexive relationship between common memory, identity, and agency (CIA). We conceptualize collective memory as based on neuropsychological substrates, influenced by social processes, and extended to societal, historical, and political domains, driven by human sociality. To engage the complexity of, and shed light on, numerous remaining questions surrounding collective memory, future research should embrace a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach focused on issues of common memory, identity, and identity.

Realistic context doesn't amplify the survival processing effect: Lessons learned from Covid-19 scenarios

Imagining being stranded in the grasslands of an unknown territory without basic survival materials and subsequently rating the relevance of words for this situation leads to exceptionally good memory for these words. This survival processing effect has received much attention, primarily because it has been argued to disclose the evolutionary foundations of human memory. So far, only fictitious scenarios were used to demonstrate this effect. To provide a fairer test of emotional response against richness-of-encoding explanations of the effect, we aimed at increasing everyday relevance and realism of the survival scenarios. For this purpose, we created two new Covid-19 scenarios, one focusing on emotional response (Covid-19-emotion) and the other on survival strategy (Covid-19-strategy). Both new scenarios were compared to the classical grassland and moving scenarios typically used to investigate the survival processing effect. In Experiment 1, we observed better memory for the grassland and Covid-19-strategy scenarios compared to the other two, but no significant difference between the former. A descriptively similar result pattern emerged in Experiment 2 for the number of ideas generated on how to use objects in the four scenarios. Theoretical implications are discussed.