Why the same memory can feel joyful to one person and painful to another
Neuroscientists have uncovered how the brain links memories to emotions, revealing why the same event can be remembered differently by people. The process, known as valence assignment, explains why one person may recall an experience as positive while another sees it as negative. This discovery sheds light on the subjectivity of memory and its emotional impact. A team led by Professor Kay Tye identified two distinct neural pathways responsible for assigning positive or negative emotions to memories. Their research, published in Nature, shows that the brain activates different circuits depending on whether a memory feels pleasant or distressing.
The study highlights how individual perception shapes recollection. For example, after a devastating flood, one neighbour might remember the event as deeply traumatic. Another, however, could view it as a positive turning point—perhaps due to community support or personal resilience. This difference stems from how each brain assigns emotional weight to the same experience. Understanding these pathways could have practical applications. Researchers suggest that targeting the valence assignment process might help therapists reframe traumatic memories. By shifting emotional associations, negative recollections could potentially be transformed into more positive or neutral ones.
The findings open new possibilities for psychological treatments focused on emotional memory. While the exact brain regions involved remain unclear, the discovery of separate neural routes for positive and negative valences provides a foundation for future studies. This research may eventually lead to therapies that reduce the emotional burden of distressing experiences.
