The adaptive nature and temporal dynamics of memory reactivation
Our memories are not static. Each attempt to retrieve a past event from long-term memory is a complex and dynamic process, and adaptively changes the underlying memory trace. Recent research has successfully used multivariate pattern analysis to track the reactivation of mnemonic “snapshots” in human brain activity. I here focus more on the temporal dynamics and the adaptive nature of memory retrieval. I present behavioural and electrophysiological work that provides first insights into how the retrieval process unfolds in time, on a sub-trial scale. The findings suggest that neural reactivation starts very early after the presentation of a reminder, and that different elements (e.g. perceptual features, semantic content) of a past event are reactivated at different time points during retrieval. Further, I show evidence from a series of fMRI studies in which we track the representational changes that occur in a memory trace over time and across repeated retrievals, on cross-trial time scale. The findings demonstrate that retrieval adaptively modifies memories by strengthening behaviourally relevant, and weakening behaviourally irrelevant or interfering components. Together, this work sheds light onto the neural dynamics of the retrieval process, and informs theories of adaptive memory.
Date: 6 June 2017, 13:00 (Tuesday, 7th week, Trinity 2017)
Venue: Biology South Parks Road, South Parks Road OX1 3RB
Venue Details: Lecture Theatre
Speaker: Dr Maria Wimber (Birmingham University )
Organising department: Department of Experimental Psychology
Organiser: Nils Kolling (Junior Research Fellow, Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address: nils.kolling@psy.ox.ac.uk
Host: Dr Nahid Zokaei (University of Oxford)
Booking required?: Not required
Audience: Members of the University only
Editor: Stephanie Mcclain