Nature Human Behaviour最新文献

What are the neural properties that make spatial contexts effective scaffolds for storing and accessing memories? Here we hypothesized that spatial locations with stable and distinctive (that is, reliable) neural representations would best support memory for new experiences. To test this, participants learned the layout of a custom-built 23-room virtual reality 'memory palace' that they explored using a head-mounted display. The next day, participants underwent whole-brain fMRI while watching videos of the rooms, allowing us to measure the reliability of the neural activity pattern associated with each room. Participants then returned to virtual reality to encode 23 objects placed in each of the 23 rooms and later recalled the rooms and objects during fMRI. We found that our room reliability measure (computed before encoding) predicted object reinstatement during recall across cortex; this was driven not only by group-level reliability across participants but also by idiosyncratic reliability within participants. Moreover, this effect did not arise through enhanced retrieval of reliable rooms during recall, because the relationship between reliability and object reinstatement remained significant when controlling for room reinstatement during retrieval; this suggests that, instead, room reliability promotes improved binding of rooms to objects at encoding. Together, these results showcase how the quality of the neural representation of a spatial context can be quantified and used to 'audit' its utility as a memory scaffold for future experiences.

Improving population well-being is increasingly recognized as a global priority, yet evidence on the comparative effectiveness of well-being-focused interventions in adults is fragmented. Here we conduct a preregistered systematic review and network meta-analysis (PROSPERO CRD42023403480) of randomized controlled trials evaluating well-being interventions in adults without diagnosed conditions. Searches of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CENTRAL and Scopus (to March 2023) identified 183 trials (n = 22,811). Interventions included mindfulness-based, compassion-based, acceptance and commitment therapy and positive psychology interventions, as well as exercise, yoga, educational, nature-based programmes and combined exercise-psychological approaches. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2, and data were synthesized using random-effects network meta-analysis. Most interventions improved well-being compared with inactive controls. Combined exercise-psychological interventions produced the largest effect (standardized mean difference of 0.73, 95% confidence interval 0.27 to 1.20). Mindfulness, compassion, single positive psychology, yoga and exercise interventions demonstrated moderate, consistent effects (standardized mean difference of 0.41-0.49), with no significant differences between interventions. Nature-based interventions were not significantly more effective than controls, but evidence was limited by conceptual and methodological heterogeneity. Risk of bias was frequently moderate to high, and funnel plot asymmetry suggested potential publication bias. However, multiple sensitivity analyses (including grey literature, excluding studies with high risk of bias and small studies) supported the robustness of overall conclusions. Most comparisons (71%) were rated as moderate in certainty of evidence using CINEMA. These findings provide an integrated synthesis of the well-being intervention literature and highlight priority areas for future interdisciplinary, methodologically robust research. No external funding was received.