Abstract
What are the neural markers of encoding and retrieving memories of emotional events with increased efficacy? In recent years, this question has captured the attention of neuroscientists, who have been fervently engaged in addressing it using a multitude of approaches. The present chapter emphasizes evidence from brain imaging investigations regarding three emerging research directions in the field: the role of social information in emotional memory, the role of emotion regulation in the impact of emotion on memory, and the impact of emotion on associative or relational memory. Overall, this evidence provides insights into the brain mechanisms that make emotional memories special, points to possible alterations that may explain negative affective biases in encoding and retrieving emotional memories observed in affective disorders, and highlights specific aspects to be clarified in future research.