Cigdem Önal
Dr. Cigdem Önal, Dipl.-Psych.
Full member: January 2007 - December 2009
Dissertation title: Emotional modulation of motor memory formation.
Abstract: Consolidation of declarative memory can be modulated by semantically unrelated emotional stimuli. Herein valence and arousal of the emotional stimuli seem to exert opposite effects on consolidation. By far less known are the processes of procedural memory. Consolidation of motor memory has been described not before a few years ago. Actual models of motor memory formation suggest processes similar to those of declarative memory. The modulation of motor memory formation by emotional stimuli however is largely unexplored. Our project therefore aims to research how encoding and consolidation of motor memory can be modulated by emotional stimuli. In this context the impact of emotional stimuli on motor memory consolidation in short or long term will be discussed in 2 emotional dimensions, valence and arousal. The experiments which will provide the related brain activity will be conducted with TMS, EEG and fMRI.
Principal investigator:
Prof. Dr. Joseph Claßen
Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Neurologie und Nuklearmedizin, Liebigstr. 20, 04103 Leipzig
