Mariam Aly
@mariamaly.bsky.social
Pinned
Mariam Aly
@mariamaly.bsky.social
· Jul 25
Mariam | alylab
www.alylab.org
Hi! I'm Mariam. I post science, mostly about memory and the brain. I try to promote a more supportive culture in academia and am passionate about destigmatizing mental illness.
You can learn more about me and my lab here: https://www.alylab.org/mariam
You can learn more about me and my lab here: https://www.alylab.org/mariam
Reposted by Mariam Aly
Now out in #ScienceAdvances: @baiweiliu.bsky.social and I ask how internal (goal) and external (sensory) selection are coordinated during visual search. The key insight: internal and external selection are not inherently serial, but may develop in parallel in the human brain: doi.org/10.1126/scia...
Concurrent selection of internal goals and external sensations during visual search
Internal and external selection processes can codevelop in time to yield efficient search behavior.
doi.org
November 10, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Now out in #ScienceAdvances: @baiweiliu.bsky.social and I ask how internal (goal) and external (sensory) selection are coordinated during visual search. The key insight: internal and external selection are not inherently serial, but may develop in parallel in the human brain: doi.org/10.1126/scia...
Reposted by Mariam Aly
Now out in an issue! ~~ www.cell.com/trends/cogni...
November 6, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Now out in an issue! ~~ www.cell.com/trends/cogni...
Reposted by Mariam Aly
Full speech here. Is...is that hope I'm feeling this morning? I'd forgotten what that feels like
youtu.be/JC1h6rJQBvs?...
youtu.be/JC1h6rJQBvs?...
November 5, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Full speech here. Is...is that hope I'm feeling this morning? I'd forgotten what that feels like
youtu.be/JC1h6rJQBvs?...
youtu.be/JC1h6rJQBvs?...
Reposted by Mariam Aly
Sometimes it can be a pain choosing the route, and toughest when two paths seem equivalent.
Nice new article from Liz Crastil's lab explores what factors drive choices of route:
Graph Properties Drive Navigational Selection between Equidistant Routes
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Nice new article from Liz Crastil's lab explores what factors drive choices of route:
Graph Properties Drive Navigational Selection between Equidistant Routes
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Graph Properties Drive Navigational Selection between Equidistant Routes
Cognitive maps, traditionally considered metrically accurate mental representations of space, have been central to navigation research. However, recen…
www.sciencedirect.com
November 3, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Sometimes it can be a pain choosing the route, and toughest when two paths seem equivalent.
Nice new article from Liz Crastil's lab explores what factors drive choices of route:
Graph Properties Drive Navigational Selection between Equidistant Routes
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Nice new article from Liz Crastil's lab explores what factors drive choices of route:
Graph Properties Drive Navigational Selection between Equidistant Routes
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Mariam Aly
I wrote a thing on episodic memory and systems consolidation. I hope you all enjoy it and/or find it interesting.
A neural state space for episodic memories
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
#neuroskyence #psychscisky #cognition 🧪
A neural state space for episodic memories
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
#neuroskyence #psychscisky #cognition 🧪
A neural state space for episodic memories
Episodic memories are highly dynamic and change in nonlinear ways over time. This dynamism is not captured by existing systems consolidation theories …
www.sciencedirect.com
November 3, 2025 at 12:56 PM
I wrote a thing on episodic memory and systems consolidation. I hope you all enjoy it and/or find it interesting.
A neural state space for episodic memories
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
#neuroskyence #psychscisky #cognition 🧪
A neural state space for episodic memories
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
#neuroskyence #psychscisky #cognition 🧪
Reposted by Mariam Aly
When does new learning interfere with existing knowledge in people and ANNs? Great to have this out today in @nathumbehav.nature.com
Work with @summerfieldlab.bsky.social, @tsonj.bsky.social, Lukas Braun and Jan Grohn
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Work with @summerfieldlab.bsky.social, @tsonj.bsky.social, Lukas Braun and Jan Grohn
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
October 31, 2025 at 2:47 PM
When does new learning interfere with existing knowledge in people and ANNs? Great to have this out today in @nathumbehav.nature.com
Work with @summerfieldlab.bsky.social, @tsonj.bsky.social, Lukas Braun and Jan Grohn
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Work with @summerfieldlab.bsky.social, @tsonj.bsky.social, Lukas Braun and Jan Grohn
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Mariam Aly
Our experience of time is powerfully shaped by boundaries between events (i.e., going from one meeting to the next). But what about time *within an event*? In new work, we find reliable distortions of time based on internal event structure (e.g., beginnings, middles, and ends)! tinyurl.com/n8mn2sn7
Unfolding event structure distorts subjective time
Our experience of time is often distorted in striking ways. Although prior work has shown that boundaries between events can shape temporal perception…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Our experience of time is powerfully shaped by boundaries between events (i.e., going from one meeting to the next). But what about time *within an event*? In new work, we find reliable distortions of time based on internal event structure (e.g., beginnings, middles, and ends)! tinyurl.com/n8mn2sn7
At Reviewer Zero, we see both problems and strengths of peer review and have been working for over 5 years to make change for the better. I have found working with Reviewer Zero to be incredibly important and fulfilling. We rarely look to add to our organizing team, but now we are! Please see below!
🚨 We are seeking a Digital Presence Coordinator!
Open to psych/neuro grad students, postdocs & faculty who are passionate about improving fairness in peer review.
Job details:
💻 Managing website, socials, newsletters
🕒 4–8 hrs/month | 💵 $500 honorarium | 📅 1-year term
Apply 👉 go.iu.edu/8vxh
Open to psych/neuro grad students, postdocs & faculty who are passionate about improving fairness in peer review.
Job details:
💻 Managing website, socials, newsletters
🕒 4–8 hrs/month | 💵 $500 honorarium | 📅 1-year term
Apply 👉 go.iu.edu/8vxh
go.iu.edu
October 28, 2025 at 7:26 PM
At Reviewer Zero, we see both problems and strengths of peer review and have been working for over 5 years to make change for the better. I have found working with Reviewer Zero to be incredibly important and fulfilling. We rarely look to add to our organizing team, but now we are! Please see below!
Reposted by Mariam Aly
Understanding the flexibility of working memory: Compositionality, generative processing, anchors and holistic representations
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
#neuroscience
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
#neuroscience
Understanding the flexibility of working memory: Compositionality, generative processing, anchors and holistic representations
The typical conception of working memory is a mechanism to temporarily hold multiple discrete objects in service of other cognitive tasks in an item-b…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 25, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Understanding the flexibility of working memory: Compositionality, generative processing, anchors and holistic representations
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
#neuroscience
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
#neuroscience
Reposted by Mariam Aly
Please understand that the only reason this has been released is because of the UCLA faculty association who filed a request and challenged the refusal in court. If you are a UC faculty member, join your FA!
BREAKING: The California Supreme Court has DENIED the University of California's request that it block the release of a 28-page, $1.2-billion fine Trump administration UCLA settlement offer. UC is required to give a faculty group the document today. www.latimes.com/california/s...
UC must publicly release Trump administration's $1.2-billion settlement proposal
The California Supreme Court on Friday declined a request from the University of California to block the release of a roughly $1.2-billion Trump UCLA settlement. UCLA is required to share the document...
www.latimes.com
October 25, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Please understand that the only reason this has been released is because of the UCLA faculty association who filed a request and challenged the refusal in court. If you are a UC faculty member, join your FA!
Reposted by Mariam Aly
New preprint! What happens in the brain when people offload memories into external reminders? Using fMRI decoding, we found that the corresponding neural trace fades until it becomes statistically absent.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
🧵...
osf.io/preprints/ps...
🧵...
OSF
osf.io
October 24, 2025 at 3:18 PM
New preprint! What happens in the brain when people offload memories into external reminders? Using fMRI decoding, we found that the corresponding neural trace fades until it becomes statistically absent.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
🧵...
osf.io/preprints/ps...
🧵...
Reposted by Mariam Aly
I’m excited to share my recent preprint on a neural network model of free recall that learns multiple memory strategies including the memory palace!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
October 21, 2025 at 3:36 AM
I’m excited to share my recent preprint on a neural network model of free recall that learns multiple memory strategies including the memory palace!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Mariam Aly
I said it before and I'll say it again: Cognition is rhythmic
Contents of visual predictions oscillate at alpha frequencies
www.jneurosci.org/content/earl...
#neuroscience
Contents of visual predictions oscillate at alpha frequencies
www.jneurosci.org/content/earl...
#neuroscience
Contents of visual predictions oscillate at alpha frequencies
Predictions of future events have a major impact on how we process sensory signals. However, it remains unclear how the brain keeps predictions online in anticipation of future inputs. Here, we combin...
www.jneurosci.org
October 21, 2025 at 12:00 PM
I said it before and I'll say it again: Cognition is rhythmic
Contents of visual predictions oscillate at alpha frequencies
www.jneurosci.org/content/earl...
#neuroscience
Contents of visual predictions oscillate at alpha frequencies
www.jneurosci.org/content/earl...
#neuroscience
Reposted by Mariam Aly
New preprint led by @debyee.bsky.social: "Neurocomputational mechanisms underlying the distinct motivational influences of reward and punishment on cognitive control".
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
October 20, 2025 at 9:36 PM
New preprint led by @debyee.bsky.social: "Neurocomputational mechanisms underlying the distinct motivational influences of reward and punishment on cognitive control".
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Mariam Aly
🧠🚨 How does the hippocampus transform the visual similarity space to resolve memory interference?
In this new preprint, we found that the hippocampus sequentially inverts the behaviorally relevant dimensions of similarity 🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
In this new preprint, we found that the hippocampus sequentially inverts the behaviorally relevant dimensions of similarity 🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Hippocampal transformations occur along dimensions of memory interference
The role of the hippocampus in resolving memory interference has been greatly elucidated by considering the relationship between the similarity of visual stimuli (input) and corresponding similarity o...
www.biorxiv.org
October 14, 2025 at 4:48 PM
🧠🚨 How does the hippocampus transform the visual similarity space to resolve memory interference?
In this new preprint, we found that the hippocampus sequentially inverts the behaviorally relevant dimensions of similarity 🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
In this new preprint, we found that the hippocampus sequentially inverts the behaviorally relevant dimensions of similarity 🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Mariam Aly
How does motivation shape learning and memory? In a new review w @ralisonadcock.bsky.social, we propose that under different motivational ‘moods', neuromodulators set distinct neural contexts to determine information processing and memory formation.
doi.org/10.1146/annu...
#psychscisky #neuroskyence
doi.org/10.1146/annu...
#psychscisky #neuroskyence
Motivation as Neural Context for Adaptive Learning and Memory Formation
Our memories shape our perception of the world and guide adaptive behavior. Rather than a veridical record of experiences, memory is selective. An accumulating body of work suggests that motivational ...
www.annualreviews.org
October 13, 2025 at 4:09 AM
How does motivation shape learning and memory? In a new review w @ralisonadcock.bsky.social, we propose that under different motivational ‘moods', neuromodulators set distinct neural contexts to determine information processing and memory formation.
doi.org/10.1146/annu...
#psychscisky #neuroskyence
doi.org/10.1146/annu...
#psychscisky #neuroskyence
Reposted by Mariam Aly
We found attentional suppression might be related to re-coding salient singleton locations in a inverted format to target locations
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Rapid inversion of singleton distractor representations underlies learned attentional suppression
In visually complex and dynamically changing environments, humans often face the challenge of filtering out salient stimuli that are presently irrelevant to their tasks. Recent evidence suggests that ...
www.biorxiv.org
October 10, 2025 at 1:21 PM
We found attentional suppression might be related to re-coding salient singleton locations in a inverted format to target locations
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Mariam Aly
New post in @jocnforum.bsky.social by Early Miller @earlkmiller.bsky.social: "Principles for proper peer review"
doi.org/10.21428/8e6...
doi.org/10.21428/8e6...
Principles for proper peer review
doi.org
October 6, 2025 at 9:02 PM
New post in @jocnforum.bsky.social by Early Miller @earlkmiller.bsky.social: "Principles for proper peer review"
doi.org/10.21428/8e6...
doi.org/10.21428/8e6...
Reposted by Mariam Aly
Memory problems will change how you see the world...literally 👀
Across two new papers, we examined the eye movement patterns of younger adults, older adults, individuals with mild cognitive impairment, and amnesic cases.
1/5
Across two new papers, we examined the eye movement patterns of younger adults, older adults, individuals with mild cognitive impairment, and amnesic cases.
1/5
October 8, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Memory problems will change how you see the world...literally 👀
Across two new papers, we examined the eye movement patterns of younger adults, older adults, individuals with mild cognitive impairment, and amnesic cases.
1/5
Across two new papers, we examined the eye movement patterns of younger adults, older adults, individuals with mild cognitive impairment, and amnesic cases.
1/5
Today I was scheduled to speak in a webinar at 8am but my 7:25am bus didn’t show up. I had to take a Lyft to work and arrived 9 min before speaking time. It was completely fine. I didn’t even panic. Is this what it feels like to be mid-career? 🤔
October 8, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Today I was scheduled to speak in a webinar at 8am but my 7:25am bus didn’t show up. I had to take a Lyft to work and arrived 9 min before speaking time. It was completely fine. I didn’t even panic. Is this what it feels like to be mid-career? 🤔
Reposted by Mariam Aly
I'm recruiting PhD students to join my new lab in Fall 2026! The Shared Minds Lab at @usc.edu will combine deep learning and ecological human neuroscience to better understand how we communicate our thoughts from one brain to another.
October 1, 2025 at 10:39 PM
I'm recruiting PhD students to join my new lab in Fall 2026! The Shared Minds Lab at @usc.edu will combine deep learning and ecological human neuroscience to better understand how we communicate our thoughts from one brain to another.
Are you an early career scholar interested in learning more about peer review?
Join us for our virtual @reviewerzero.bsky.social workshop! We will help you understand how peer review works and give advice on responding to reviewer comments.
9-10:30am PT / 12-1:30pm ET on October 30th. Register👇🏼
Join us for our virtual @reviewerzero.bsky.social workshop! We will help you understand how peer review works and give advice on responding to reviewer comments.
9-10:30am PT / 12-1:30pm ET on October 30th. Register👇🏼
Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Peer Review 101. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Peer Review 101. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
northwestern.zoom.us
October 2, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Are you an early career scholar interested in learning more about peer review?
Join us for our virtual @reviewerzero.bsky.social workshop! We will help you understand how peer review works and give advice on responding to reviewer comments.
9-10:30am PT / 12-1:30pm ET on October 30th. Register👇🏼
Join us for our virtual @reviewerzero.bsky.social workshop! We will help you understand how peer review works and give advice on responding to reviewer comments.
9-10:30am PT / 12-1:30pm ET on October 30th. Register👇🏼
Reposted by Mariam Aly
🚨 We are seeking a Digital Presence Coordinator!
Open to psych/neuro grad students, postdocs & faculty who are passionate about improving fairness in peer review.
Job details:
💻 Managing website, socials, newsletters
🕒 4–8 hrs/month | 💵 $500 honorarium | 📅 1-year term
Apply 👉 go.iu.edu/8vxh
Open to psych/neuro grad students, postdocs & faculty who are passionate about improving fairness in peer review.
Job details:
💻 Managing website, socials, newsletters
🕒 4–8 hrs/month | 💵 $500 honorarium | 📅 1-year term
Apply 👉 go.iu.edu/8vxh
go.iu.edu
October 2, 2025 at 4:38 PM
🚨 We are seeking a Digital Presence Coordinator!
Open to psych/neuro grad students, postdocs & faculty who are passionate about improving fairness in peer review.
Job details:
💻 Managing website, socials, newsletters
🕒 4–8 hrs/month | 💵 $500 honorarium | 📅 1-year term
Apply 👉 go.iu.edu/8vxh
Open to psych/neuro grad students, postdocs & faculty who are passionate about improving fairness in peer review.
Job details:
💻 Managing website, socials, newsletters
🕒 4–8 hrs/month | 💵 $500 honorarium | 📅 1-year term
Apply 👉 go.iu.edu/8vxh
Reposted by Mariam Aly
Imagine an apple 🍎. Is your mental image more like a picture or more like a thought? In a new preprint led by Morgan McCarty—our lab's wonderful RA—we develop a new approach to this old cognitive science question and find that LLMs excel at tasks thought to be solvable only via visual imagery. 🧵
Artificial Phantasia: Evidence for Propositional Reasoning-Based Mental Imagery in Large Language Models
This study offers a novel approach for benchmarking complex cognitive behavior in artificial systems. Almost universally, Large Language Models (LLMs) perform best on tasks which may be included in th...
arxiv.org
October 1, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Imagine an apple 🍎. Is your mental image more like a picture or more like a thought? In a new preprint led by Morgan McCarty—our lab's wonderful RA—we develop a new approach to this old cognitive science question and find that LLMs excel at tasks thought to be solvable only via visual imagery. 🧵
Reposted by Mariam Aly
The brain represents the world around us as a series of neural states - stable patterns of activity that change as we move from one event to the next.
New paper by @selmalugtmeijer.bsky.social showing that neural states get longer as people age. #PsychSciSky
nature.com/articles/s42003-025-08792-4
New paper by @selmalugtmeijer.bsky.social showing that neural states get longer as people age. #PsychSciSky
nature.com/articles/s42003-025-08792-4
Temporal dedifferentiation of neural states with age during naturalistic viewing - Communications Biology
Movie fMRI data reveals age-related lengthening of neural states in visual and prefrontal regions, reflecting reduced temporal differentiation while preserved alignment with perceived events suggests stable coarse event segmentation.
www.nature.com
September 30, 2025 at 4:03 PM
The brain represents the world around us as a series of neural states - stable patterns of activity that change as we move from one event to the next.
New paper by @selmalugtmeijer.bsky.social showing that neural states get longer as people age. #PsychSciSky
nature.com/articles/s42003-025-08792-4
New paper by @selmalugtmeijer.bsky.social showing that neural states get longer as people age. #PsychSciSky
nature.com/articles/s42003-025-08792-4