How the brain changes memories so you can tell similar things apart
Computational, Neural, and Behavioral Studies of Competition-Dependent Learning
This project looks at how the brain and behavior change during learning so people can better tell similar memories and experiences apart.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Princeton University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Princeton, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11326662 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would hear about work that combines computer models, brain recordings, and behavioral tests to understand how memories change with experience. The team focuses on how the hippocampus and cortex reorganize memory traces when events are very similar or occur at different times. They build new computational theories of differentiation and compare model predictions to neural activity and memory performance, likely using human memory tasks and brain imaging. The aim is to link specific brain changes to improvements or failures in telling similar things apart.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be adults who can complete memory and cognitive tasks and, if eligible, undergo brain imaging at Princeton University, including people with mild memory complaints and healthy volunteers.
Not a fit: People whose conditions do not involve memory discrimination or who cannot undergo behavioral testing or brain imaging would be unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could point to new ways to diagnose, monitor, or eventually help treat memory problems that cause confusion between similar events or items.
How similar studies have performed: Prior human and animal studies have documented hippocampal pattern differentiation and related behavioral effects, but the proposed computational explanations and linked tests are relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Princeton, UNITED STATES
- Princeton University — Princeton, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Norman, Kenneth a — Princeton University
- Study coordinator: Norman, Kenneth a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.