Shaping the Dynamics of Hippocampal Circuit Function: Influence of Behavioral History and Plasticity

University Of California-Irvine, Irvine CA

Investigators

Abstract

Memory is a fundamental biological process involving orchestration of a myriad of molecular and cellular interactions, within and across different brain regions. Memory, however, is not a neutral event to the brain, each experience can potentially modify brain networks, which can then subsequently influence how new information is processed. How past memories influence the organization of new memories at the cellular level remains largely unexplored. This proposal seeks to determine how the nature of specific past experiences influences cellular processes of memory formation within the hippocampus, a brain region known to be important for memory. These studies integrate rat behavior with genetic approaches and cellular imaging methods to provide a comprehensive view of the molecular and cellular dynamics of memory. It is anticipated that these studies will show that previous experiences do indeed alter the cellular dynamics of new information processing, and that these experience-dependent alterations require expression of a gene, Arc, critical for neural plasticity. Completion of the proposed studies will help elucidate both cellular and molecular substrates of memory within the mammalian hippocampus. Moreover, this project will afford outstanding training for undergraduate and graduate students and integrate with the broad based goals of the Center for Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (CNLM), where the studies will be conducted. The CNLM is active in K-12 education with regular school tours and lectures on brain and memory for the general public.