Among the three stages of memory, namely encoding, storage and retrieval, the encoding stage is often the first to be affected in people with MCI, causing memory decline.

Emotion–memory interactions occur at various stages of information processing, from the initial encoding and consolidation of memory traces to their long-term retrieval.

The correlation between breathing patterns and memory encoding may yield innovative approaches in the treatment of memory-related disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.