Herz Research

Herz, N., Bukala, B., Kragel. J.E. and Kahana, M.J. (2023). Hippocampal activity predicts contextual misattribution in false memories. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 120 (40) e2305292120.

In this study, we showed that neural signals preceding overt recall can predict the veridicality of the memory as well as discriminate memories based on the context in which they were encoded. These findings provided a mechanistic insight into the way the hippocampus supports retrieval of context-bound memories, thus shedding light on one of the hallmark features of episodic memory: our ability to distinguish between similar memories that occurred on distinct occasions.

Herz, N., Bar-Haim, Y., Tavor, I., Tik, N., Sharon, H., Holmes, E. & Censor, N. (2022). Neuromodulation of visual cortex reduces the intensity of intrusive memories. Cerebral Cortex, 1-10.

We found that connectivity strength between the visual network and the amygdala prior to an aversive event predict the emotional intensity of the to-be developed memory intrusions. Inhibitory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), targeted to early visual areas, reduced the emotional intensity associated with memory intrusions.

*Reuveni, I., *Herz, N., Bonne, O., Peri, T., Harpaz, Y. & Goldstein, A. (2022). Neural oscillations while remembering traumatic memories in PTSD. Clinical Neurophysiology, 139. 58-68.

Using MEG, we characterized the neural activity of individuals diagnosed with PTSD when relieving their traumatic memory. We found that PTSD patients exhibit increased high-gamma activity in visual regions when listening and imagining their traumatic incident, possibly reflecting their vivid trauma recollection.

Herz, N., Baror S., Bar, M. (2020). Overarching States of Mind. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 24(3), 184-199.

In this paper, we proposed a framework for understanding the striking variability that both neurotypical individuals and those diagnosed with psychopathology can demonstrate in their inclinations and tendencies over time. Our framework posits that multiple aspects of functioning, encompassing perception, attention, thought, behavior, and affect, often exhibit simultaneous alterations, giving rise to what we refer to as 'states of mind'.

Herz, N., Dan, O., Censor, N., Bar-Haim, Y (2020). Authors overestimate their contribution to scientific work, demonstrating a strong bias. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(12), 6283-6285.