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. 2021 Mar 3;7(10):eabc7606. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abc7606

Fig. 1. Study design, procedures, and results from the free recall tests.

Fig. 1

(A) In the athlete study, we tested memory athletes (n = 17) and compared them to matched controls (n = 16) during a single MRI session. (B) Participants of the training study were pseudo-randomized into three groups after an initial MRI session (pre-training): the memory training group (n = 17), active controls (n = 16), and passive controls (n = 17). Participants returned to the laboratory for a second MRI session (post-training) and took part in a behavioral retest after 4 months. (C) General structure of MRI sessions: baseline resting-state period (8 min), word list encoding and temporal order recognition tasks (10 min each), post-task resting-state period (8 min), immediate free recall test (5 + 5 min and 20 min post-MRI), and delayed free recall test after 24 hours (5 + 5 min; only completed by participants of the training study, dashed frame). (D) Training study: Change in the number of forgotten/weak/durable words from pre- to post-training sessions. Note that only weak and durable memories were included in the analysis (marked in bold). **P < 0.0001. (E) Athlete study: Free recall performance (20 min). **P = 0.0005. (D and E) Error bars reflect the SEM. See also Table 2 for an overview of free recall performance across the groups.