Summary

"Remind me not to forget…"  I often say to my roommate.

New research probes how our brain processes the intention to act at a certain point in time or the way our brain handles remembering to remember something, called prospective memory.

The research subjects were in the fMRI scanner and had to distribute the appearing on the monitor words by categories. When the target in question was only a syllable, the participants had to constantly remind themselves to push the target button, but when the target was a full word the participants weren't forced to pay attention so rigorously. This suggests that two different neural routes control prospective memory to prevent the brain from being constantly overwhelmed.

In short: Science says if you really don't want to forget something as you leave the house, just put it by the door.

The article deals with prospective memory which is the way our brain handles remembering to remember something.

Further research of prospective memory as a mechanism for reminding is described. Attention is drawn to patterns of brain activation resulting from research: one with constant reminding and other without force paying attention. The author points out two different neural routes which control prospective memory and their practical adaptation.

In conclusion author emphasizes that “if you really don't want to forget something as you leave the house, just put it by the door”.