Illuminating the mental memoriam
Name
951472579-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
42.55 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
af801911d838d7758ee17e1c1c97c9d1
Author(s)
Ramirez, Steve (Ramirez Moreno)
Advisor(s)
Susumu Tonegawa.
Date Issued
2015
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
Memories thread and unify our overall sense of being. With the accumulation of our knowledge about how memories are formed, consolidated, retrieved, and updated, neuroscience has reached a point where brain cells active during these discrete mnemonic processes can be identified and manipulated at rapid timescales. Here, I begin with historical studies that lead to the modem memory engram theory. Then, I present our recent advances in memory research that combine transgenic and optogenetic approaches to reveal underlying neuronal substrates sufficient for activating mnemonic processes. Our studies' conclusions are threefold: (1) we provide proof of principle evidence demonstrating that learning-related neural changes can be isolated at the level of single cells, and that these cells can then be tagged for subsequent manipulation; (2) a defined subset of hippocampus cells are sufficient to elicit the neuronal and behavioral expression of memory recall, as well as sufficient to modify existing positive and negative memories; (3) and finally, artificially activated memories can be leveraged to acutely and chronically suppress psychiatric disease-related states. We propose that hippocampus cells that show activity-dependent changes during learning construct a cellular basis for contextual memory engrams and that directly activating these endogenous neuronal processes may be an effective means to correct maladaptive behaviors.
Description
Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, 2015.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 212-230).
Subjects
Brain and Cognitive Sciences.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Terms of Use
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