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Ripple - hREM, hippocampal Ripple related Episodic Memory. Ivan Soltesz. Towards a Complete Description of the Circuitry Underlying Sharp Wave-Mediated Memory Replay
Title: Cellular mechanisms of memory consolidation
Abstract: Our U19 group studies the cellular bases of memory consolidation, particularly how sharp wave ripples serve as a transfer mechanism between hippocampus and neocortex. We use cutting-edge large-scale electrophysiology and optophysiological recording technologies to study and manipulate identified cell types in behaving animals, coupled with data-driven simulations. Our goal is to elucidate the cellular mechanisms responsible for memory replay and its role in memory transfer and consolidation. The methods used by our group can be applied to many situations in which brain mechanisms of behavior and cognition are explored.
Our data spans several neurophysiological techniques that provide insights into the mechanisms sharp wave ripples:
- Large-scale electrophysiological recordings of freely moving mice and rats in various learning and navigational tasks.
- Behavioral measures span from classic position-and-heading-direction measures to a high-resolution continuous monitoring of the entire movement repertoire of the animal
- Calcium imaging data and extraction of sharp wave ripples from the optical signal.
- Novel fiber photometry and voltage imaging techniques that provide unprecedented information about cell types-specific contributions to population cooperativity.
We are particularly interested in application of analytical tools that could help determine specific cellular connectivity and contributions to the sharp wave ripple processes, and can assist our large-scale computational model building. Related analytical topics could include:
- Tuning properties of hippocampal cells in various tasks
- Examination and reliability of sharp wave ripples extracted from calcium imaging data
- Novel analysis or visualization techniques applied to the simulated neural activity output by our large-scale computational model
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