The effect of external rewards on declarative memory

Abstract

: Learning and memory constitute the basis of individual survival and development. Improving learning and memory is the focus of psychology and neuroscience. Many recent studies have revealed that the reward and memory systems are structurally and functionally connected and that rewards can promote memory. The midbrain dopamine system and the hippocampal system are related in terms of structure and function. Rewards affect memory via encoding and consolidation by reference to different mechanisms. During the memory encoding stage, a reward can activate the reward system and the attentional control system and can cause more cognitive resources to be allocated to reward-related information, thus promoting memory with respect to reward information. During the memory consolidation stage, a reward can increase the release of dopamine that acts on the processing of reward-related information in the hippocampus, thus producing better memory in the context of reward information. Future research can focus on the complex patterns exhibited by the influence of rewards on behavior and that of intrinsic rewards on learning and memory.