Structural and functional plasticity in hippocampal networks during spatial information processing

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Many connections between brain cells (neurons) are stable and do not change over time. However, a number of neural connections are gained and lost over time due to environmental events, suggesting that "wiring" in the brain can be altered. One part of the brain that has been shown to be critical for memory processes is the hippocampus. The proposed research will investigate wiring changes in the hippocampus that are associated with and may be critical for memory function. The overarching theme of these experiments is to provide a more complete understanding of the interactions between structural modification (wiring), intrinsic neural properties (genetic processes) and cognitive processes (memory). The elucidation of learning-associated structural plasticity and its neurochemical underpinnings may lead to the identification of general neural mechanisms that mediate plasticity in the central nervous system. These studies are appealing as they will provide empirical evidence concerning variations in cognition and memory processes in relation to structural plasticity in specific brain circuits. These learning-induced changes may help provide a fundamental knowledge of the mechanisms subserving cognitive enhancement in adults. This could have potential applications for altering the basic mechanisms by which memories are formed and lost. The results may also lead to important insights into learning disorders as well as studies into Alzheimer's disease. Gaining a basic understanding of memory function is a critical step to understand memory dysfunction.