A04

Cortical circuit mechanisms of memory consolidation

This project aims to further dissect how neocortical circuits form and consolidate memories, focusing on the evolution and development of the cortical engram. In particular, we hypothesize that long-range input to layer 1 is crucial for gating and modulating the mechanisms for memory consolidation. Thus, the underlying question in Project A04 concerns the influence of memory-related structures (especially hippocampus and the medial temporal lobe) on consolidation in the cerebral cortex. The microstimulation (µStim) paradigm, which trains the animal to associate a reward with the µStimulation of its cortex, has been crucial for locating memory-related changes in the cortex since it allows the research to pinpoint the learning-related activity.

Overall, we seek to integrate cellular, molecular, circuit, and systems-level analyses to form a comprehensive model of how cortical circuits stabilize memories.

Image Cortical pyramidal neurons. Courtesy of Matthew Larkum and Mostafa Abdelhamid

Archive – A04 (SFB1315/1)

Archive – A04 (SFB1315/2)