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Author Spotlight: Advancing Large-Scale Neural Dynamics Through HD-MEA Technology
Published on: March 8, 2024
Rapid Encoding of New Memories by Individual Neurons in the Human Brain
Matias J Ison1, Rodrigo Quian Quiroga1, Itzhak Fried2
1Centre for Systems Neuroscience, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7QR, UK; Department of Engineering, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK.
Abstract:
The creation of memories about real-life episodes requires rapid neuronal changes that may appear after a single occurrence of an event. How is such demand met by neurons in the medial temporal lobe (MTL), which plays a fundamental role in episodic memory formation? We recorded the activity of MTL neurons in neurosurgical patients while they learned new associations. Pairs of unrelated pictures, one of a person and another of a place, were used to construct a meaningful association modeling the episodic memory of meeting a person in a particular place. We found that a large proportion of responsive MTL neurons expanded their selectivity to encode these specific associations within a few trials: cells initially responsive to one picture started firing to the associated one but not to others. Our results provide a plausible neural substrate for the inception of associations, which are crucial for the formation of episodic memories.
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