Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or...

Fixed Action Patterns

Fixed Action Patterns

A fixed action pattern (FAP) is a specific, hard-wired sequence of behaviors that occurs in response to an external stimulus, called a sign stimulus. The behavior is “fixed” because it is essentially unchangeable—proceeding similarly across individuals of a species every time it occurs.

System of Memory

System of Memory

Memory is categorized into three major systems: sensory memory, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM). These systems differ in their capacity and the duration for which they can hold information. Sensory memory captures raw sensory input from the environment, holding it for just a few seconds or less. For example, on hearing a brief, loud sound, like a car horn honking, the sound seems to linger in the mind for a moment even after it stops. This is an instance of sensory memory...

Working Memory

Working Memory

Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this...

Avoidance Learning and Learned Helplessness

Avoidance Learning and Learned Helplessness

Avoidance learning and learned helplessness are critical concepts in understanding behavioral responses to negative stimuli.
Avoidance learning occurs when an organism learns that a specific behavior can prevent an unpleasant outcome. For example, a student who receives a bad grade may start studying harder to avoid future poor grades. This behavior persists even when the negative outcome is no longer present. Avoidance learning is powerful because it maintains behavior in the absence of the...

Long-Term Memory

Long-Term Memory

Long-term memory is a relatively permanent type of memory, capable of storing vast amounts of information over extended periods. Its storage capacity is generally considered unlimited.
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Prebiotic xylo-oligosaccharides cause modest taxonomic shifts in the gut microbiota but do not increase insulin sensitivity in insulin resistant individuals.

Nutrition & metabolism·2026

Same author

Impact of cardiac cycle and respiratory rhythm phase on visual attention in healthy young and older adults.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Is GDF15 or PGC-1α involved in 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-<i>p</i>-dioxin (TCDD)-induced wasting syndrome? Evidence from a TCDD-sensitive and a TCDD-resistant rat strain.

Toxicology mechanisms and methods·2026

Same author

Long-latency auditory evoked responses across species show increased amplitude during early life.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2026

Same author

Lateralization of Hippocampal Dentate Spikes and Sharp-Wave Ripples in Urethane Anesthetized Rats Depends on Cholinergic Tone.

Hippocampus·2025

Same author

Branched-chain amino acid supplementation and voluntary running have distinct effects on the serum metabolome of rats with high or low intrinsic aerobic capacity.

Frontiers in nutrition·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 2, 2026

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood

Published on: October 2, 2019

Dentate spikes and learning: disrupting hippocampal function during memory consolidation can improve pattern

Sanna Lensu^1,2, Tomi Waselius¹, Markku Penttonen¹

¹Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä , Jyväskylä , Finland.

Journal of Neurophysiology

|November 22, 2018

Summary

Dentate spikes (DSs) are crucial for memory consolidation, but their impact varies by task. Stimulating the ventral hippocampus after DSs improved pattern separation but not other memory tasks, suggesting task-dependent roles.

Keywords:

dentate spike hippocampus learning memory consolidation

More Related Videos

Assessment of Dendritic Arborization in the Dentate Gyrus of the Hippocampal Region in Mice

Assessment of Dendritic Arborization in the Dentate Gyrus of the Hippocampal Region in Mice

Published on: March 31, 2015

Eye Tracking, Cortisol, and a Sleep vs. Wake Consolidation Delay: Combining Methods to Uncover an Interactive Effect of Sleep and Cortisol on Memory

Eye Tracking, Cortisol, and a Sleep vs. Wake Consolidation Delay: Combining Methods to Uncover an Interactive Effect of Sleep and Cortisol on Memory

Published on: June 18, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 2, 2026

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood

Published on: October 2, 2019

Assessment of Dendritic Arborization in the Dentate Gyrus of the Hippocampal Region in Mice

Assessment of Dendritic Arborization in the Dentate Gyrus of the Hippocampal Region in Mice

Published on: March 31, 2015

Eye Tracking, Cortisol, and a Sleep vs. Wake Consolidation Delay: Combining Methods to Uncover an Interactive Effect of Sleep and Cortisol on Memory

Eye Tracking, Cortisol, and a Sleep vs. Wake Consolidation Delay: Combining Methods to Uncover an Interactive Effect of Sleep and Cortisol on Memory

Published on: June 18, 2014

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Science
Behavioral Neuroscience

Background:

Hippocampal dentate spikes (DSs) are prominent neural events during rest and sleep.
Previous research indicates DSs are vital for memory consolidation in nonspatial associative learning.
The role of DSs in other hippocampus-dependent learning paradigms remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the necessity of DSs for hippocampus-dependent learning tasks beyond associative learning.
To determine if modulating DSs activity influences performance in spatial reference memory, fixed interval, and pattern separation tasks.

Main Methods:

Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained on spatial reference memory, fixed interval, and pattern separation tasks.
Ventral hippocampal commissure (vHC) electrical stimulation was applied, either timed to follow DSs or randomly.
Performance was assessed by comparing task completion under different stimulation conditions versus natural neural activity.

Main Results:

Ventral hippocampal commissure (vHC) stimulation did not affect performance in spatial reference memory or fixed interval tasks.
Contingent vHC stimulation, specifically timed with DSs, significantly enhanced performance in the pattern separation task.
These findings highlight a task-specific role for DSs in memory processing.

Conclusions:

The behavioral significance of hippocampal DSs is contingent on the specific learning task.
DSs may facilitate the association of temporally distinct neural representations, which is beneficial for some tasks (e.g., associative learning) but not others (e.g., pattern separation).
Future research should explore the precise mechanisms by which DSs influence memory consolidation across different cognitive domains.