Virtual reality reveals the role of stress in selecting the memories we store and the details we remember

The brain is the machine that perceives, analyzes, sorts, stores and prioritizes our memories. However, not all experiences and perceptions are stored in the same way, and not everything is remembered equally, especially when under pressure or emotional stress. A new research study carried out by researchers at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) has found that negative emotions help cement the central information, details and key aspects of experiences but diminish recollection of the surrounding context and environment.