NIH study suggests tiny electrical brain waves may be a hallmark of successful memory retrieval.

NIH scientists showed how electrical brain waves, called ripples, may help us remember our past experiences. Courtesy of Zaghloul lab, NIH/NINDS
A sound, a smell, a word can all flood our minds with memories of past experiences. In a study of epilepsy patients, researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that split seconds before we recall these events tiny electrical waves, called ripples, may flow through key parts of our brains that help store our memories, setting the stage for successful retrieval