Emotional memory

Where were you on Sept. 11, 2001? Or when the shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986? Heightened emotions cause experiences to crystallize into lasting and vivid memories. This boost in memory formation is due in part to the stress hormone norepinephrine, but scientists haven’t understood how the hormone causes this effect.

Now researchers have uncovered molecular changes triggered by norepinephrine that help nerve cells form new memories.