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Mind the gap: binding experiences across space and time in the human hippocampus
Bernhard P Staresina1, Lila Davachi
1Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA. bernhard.staresina@nyu.edu
Neuron
|July 31, 2009
Summary
The hippocampus helps bind memories across space and time. This study shows hippocampal engagement increases with greater spatiotemporal gaps during associative memory formation, suggesting a core function in bridging experience gaps.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Memory Research
Background:
- The hippocampus's precise role in memory is debated.
- A key hypothesis suggests it binds representations across spatial and temporal gaps.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hippocampus's function in associative memory formation.
- To determine if hippocampal engagement is modulated by spatiotemporal discontiguities.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used.
- Participants formed associative memories under controlled spatiotemporal discontiguities.
- Encoding task, association type, and memory performance were kept constant.
Main Results:
- Hippocampal engagement during successful associative binding increased with larger spatial and temporal gaps.
- This modulation occurred despite constant encoding task, association type, and memory performance.
Conclusions:
- The hippocampus's core mnemonic function may be to bridge representational gaps in experience.
- Findings support the role of the hippocampus in integrating episodic elements across spatiotemporal discontiguities.
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