
Research Highlight When we are motivated, we often remember things better. How are rewarding events represented by the brain?
Zeithamova, D., Gelman, B.D., Frank, L., & Preston, A.R.
View Publication
Research Highlight Concepts organize our knowledge according to similarities and differences. How are individual learning events transformed into conceptual knowledge?
Mack, M.L., Love, B.C., & Preston, A.R.
View Publication
Research Highlight Memory and reasoning abilities continue to improve through adolescence. How are such cognitive gains related to brain maturation?
Schlichting, M.L., Guarino, K.F., Schapiro, A.C., Turk-Browne, N.B., & Preston, A.R.
View Publication
Our Research
At the Preston Lab, we use a combination of behavioral and brain imaging techniques to explore how we form new memories, how we remember past experiences, and how our memory for the past influences what we learn in the present.
Kids, Teens & Parents
Are you Interested in how your brain works? We are actively recruiting kids and teens for our studies of memory development to learn more about how the brain changes as we grow up and how children and adolescents remember new things.

Latest Publications
From studies of memory development to how memories influence our decisions, there is a lot going on at the Preston Lab. View our scientific papers:
Interpersonal family dynamics relate to hippocampal CA subfield structure
Coughlin, C., Ben-Asher, E., Roome, H.E., Varga, N.L., Moreau, M.M., Schneider, L.L., & Preston, A.R.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
Representations of temporal community structure in hippocampus and precuneus predict inductive reasoning decisions
Pudhiyidath, A., Morton, NW, Duran, R.V., Schapiro, A.C., Momennejad, I., Hinojosa-Rowland, D.M., Molitor, R.J., & Preston, A.R.
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience.
Schema, Inference, and Memory
Varga, N.L., Morton NW, & Preston, A.R.
To appear in: Kahana, M.J., & Wagner, A.D. (eds.), Oxford Handbook of Human Memory. Oxford University Press.
Developmental differences in memory reactivation relate to encoding and inference in the human brain
Schlichting, M.L., Guarino, K.F., Roome, H.E., & Preston, A.R.
Nature Human Behaviour, 6(3), 415-428.

About Our Lab
The Preston Lab is a cognitive neuroscience lab made up of researchers and students at The University of Texas at Austin. Led by Alison R. Preston, Ph.D., the lab studies how kids, adolescents, and adults acquire and retain knowledge.
News & Events
Open Position for a Research Coordinator at the Preston Lab!
Open Position for a Research Coordinator at the Preston Lab!
February 21, 2023
The Preston Lab is recruiting a full-time lab coordinator with a start date in summer 2023. The lab uses behavioral and brain imaging techniques to explore how children, adolescents, and adults form new memories, remember past events, and how their memory for the past influences what they learn in the present. We are particularly interested in how the ability to acquire new knowledge impacts other cognitive behaviors such as reasoning, decision making, imagination, and future planning. You will play a major role in experiment development and implementation and receive training in advanced neuroimaging methods. The primary responsibilities will be the management of behavioral and neuroimaging studies of memory in participants aged 4-95 years. Daily responsibilities include: Recruitment and scheduling of child, adolescent, and adult participants Behavioral and brain imaging data collection Data processing and management for grant reporting Training of undergraduate students General administration of lab finances and IRB protocols Required qualifications: BA/BS in Psychology, Neuroscience, Computer Science or a related field. Previous research experience, preferably with behavioral and/or neuroscientific techniques (MRI, EEG, etc.). Well-developed organizational and interpersonal skills to recruit, work with, and retain families through our participant pool at the Children’s Research Center at UT Austin. Ability to work independently, but also work collaboratively with PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. Flexibility in evening and weekend availability for data collection and outreach events. Preferred qualifications: At least 1-year experience working in a research lab with children and/or adolescents. Familiarity with software packages used for experimental administration and data management (e.g., MATLAB, Python) or the ability/willingness to learn how to use these platforms in experimental settings. For more information about the lab: http://clm.utexas.edu/preston/ To apply, email a CV/resume, cover letter, and contact information for three references to Dr. Alison Preston at prestonlab@gmail.com with the subject line “Lab Coordinator Application – your name”. Full consideration will be given to applications received by 3/17/23. ... Read more » Open Position for a Research Coordinator at the Preston Lab!
New paper in JoCN!
New paper in JoCN!
September 8, 2022
In our new paper at JoCN, we find that hippocampus and precuneus represent hidden structures underlying events. This may help us infer implicit connections between memories. Check it out here: https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_01864 ... Read more » New paper in JoCN!
Developmental differences in temporal knowledge
Developmental differences in temporal knowledge
December 2, 2019
Check out our new findings showing developmental differences in acquisition and use of temporal schemas ... Read more » Developmental differences in temporal knowledge
Predictability reduces memory pruning
Predictability reduces memory pruning
December 2, 2019
Check out our new paper in Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience showing how predictability reduces pruning of memories ... Read more » Predictability reduces memory pruning