Memory development and neurophysiology: accomplishments and limitations

The review of Teyler and Fountain offers developmental psychologists an update on the status of neurophysiological theorizing and findings related to memory and learning. Recent findings of LTP and of localization of different types of memory in different brain areas have potential for enriching our understanding of memory development. However, we note several limitations in Teyler and Fountain's presentation in that they do not: distinguish between learning and memory, nor between storage and retrieval; address the role of knowledge-based or top-down influences in memory and learning; employ concepts that can accommodate such developmental phenomena as stages in the hierarchical reorganization of memory. We conclude that even when the age-old search for the "engram" is accomplished, these issues will remain, and that different levels of neural modeling will be required to accommodate them. It is important for developmental psychologists and neuroscientists to maintain communication for the purpose of mutual refinement of models as their knowledge bases continue to grow.