Often times, people who are telling a story lose their thoughts if they are interrupted. Scientists from the University of California at San Diego and the University of Oxford managed to find a physiological explanation for this fact.
Experts conducted an experiment, during which they analyzed signals of brain activity in 20 healthy people and signals from electrodes implanted into the subthalamic nucleus of the brain in seven subjects with Parkinson's disease.
All volunteers performed tasks for working memory.
In particular, it was necessary to memorize the sequence of letters, and then, after the participants in the experiment were interrupted, to reproduce in memory the material that they managed to remember earlier.
The results of the study showed that for the forgetfulness of a person arising from the action of external factors, the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus is responsible.
According to experts, unexpected events are processed in the same part of the brain that is responsible for stopping actions.
Scientists are confident that the results of this study can be applied in medical practice to treat Parkinson's disease.
