Topic: How We Think Memory Works in the Brain

You have probably heard of the famous clinical case of H. M. and his loss of memory. Have you wondered why he was unable to remember some things?  In this class we will discuss the areas of the brain in mammals that contribute towards spatial cognition and memory. In particular, the hippocampal formation is part of a pathway that is highly involved in these processes. We will examine how cellular and synaptic changes in the hippocampal complex are involved in the formation and retrieval of new memories and how this area communicates with other parts of the cortex. We will examine how brain rhythms like theta contribute to this process.  We will also examine interesting cells that appear to allow us to generate a cognitive map of our environment. Much of our time will be spent discussing articles that focus on non-human animals, but we will also be discussing clinical research with people.  We will also consider the role of the hippocampal formation more broadly in conditioning/learning, timing, planning, and episodic memory.