Interleaving brain systems for recognition and episodic memory. (360G-Wellcome-087855_Z_08_Z)

We will examine the neural substrates of two key forms of memory across behavioural, systems and cellular levels. In particular, we will investigate the specific contributions of different brain regions within both the perirhinal-centred system (for familiarity discrimination), and the hippocampal-medial diencephalic system (for event memory). Of especial note is the introduction of new methods including: new behavioural tests of object recognition memory and scene learning, and new manipulat ions to block the expression of synaptic plasticity long-term potentiation (LTP) and/or long-term depression (LTD). Issues to be investigated include: the importance of regions connected to the perirhinal cortex, including prefrontal cortex and the extended hippocampal system, for different forms of recognition memory the role of thalamic-prefrontal interactions in recognition memory. diencephalic involvement in recognition memory revealed through gene-imaging perirhinal h ippocampal system interactions modelled from neuronal activity measures differentiation of the role of perirhinal cortex in perception and recognition memory whether all components of the extended hippocampal system are required for a key attribute of episodic memory scene learning whether and where LTD and LTP mechanisms are required for different forms of scene learning and recognition memory