- Effects of emotional arousal on perception and memory- Age-related changes in emotion and cognition- Stress and cognitionResearch OverviewAt the core of our sense of self and personal history are emotional memories. Although emotional or stressful experiences tend to be memorable, emotional arousal can also impair various aspects of memory. In recent years, research into arousal and memory has focused on the key role of the amygdala in enhancing perception and memory of emotionally arousing stimuli. But enhanced memory for arousing information is only part of the story--there is also abundant evidence that arousal enhances some aspects of memory while impairing other aspects. In our lab, we are testing the theory that arousal enhances high-priority neural representations but suppresses low-priority neural representations of stimuli. Currently we are focusing on how age-related changes in inhibitory processes affect the influence of arousal. We are also investigating how connectivity among different brain regions involved in emotion and cognition change with age, using both structural and functional neuroimaging. Selected PublicationsView a complete PubMed searchView a complete Google Scholar search- Mather, M., & Harley, C.W. (2016). The locus coeruleus: Essential for maintaining cognitive function and the aging brain. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 20, 214-226. PubMed Link- Mather, M., Clewett, D., Sakaki, M., & Harley, C.W. (2016). Norepinephrine ignites local hot spots of neuronal excitation: How arousal amplifies selectivity in perception and memory. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. PubMed Link- Sakaki, M., Yoo, H. J., Nga, L., Lee, T. H., Thayer, J., & Mather, M. (2016). Heart rate variability is associated with amygdala functional connectivity with MPFC across younger and older adults. NeuroImage, 139, 44-52. Link- Mather, M., & Sutherland, M. R. (2011). Arousal-biased competition in perception and memory. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6, 114-133. Link- Mather, M. (2012). The emotion paradox in the aging brain. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1251, 33-49. Link- Nashiro, K., Sakaki, M., & Mather, M. (2012). Age differences in brain activity during emotion processing: Reflections of age-related decline or increased emotion regulation? Gerontology, 58, 156-163. Link