Temporal context in brains and transformers
Funded at Salk Institute for Biological Studies · NIH-11412637 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Pioneer Award project from the Salk Institute will explore how the brain remembers information over minutes to hours in order to better understand memory and thought processes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Salk Institute for Biological Studies NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 30, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,312,500 |
| NIH project number | 5DP1NS149613-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11412637 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patient recruitment in this grant; this study is fundamentally neuroscience research using brain activity data.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient participation is planned.
What this research studies
This project investigates how the brain keeps track of information over longer periods by studying traveling waves and cortical dynamics. Researchers propose that brain activity patterns may function like a long-term memory vector, similar to how large language models maintain past context. They will use multichannel recordings to observe traveling waves and test ideas about how temporal context is formed and stored in cortical circuits. The work aims to bridge neuroscience and AI by comparing brain dynamics with transformer-like mechanisms. Findings could deepen our understanding of memory, cognition, and conditions that affect memory over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could inform new approaches to treating memory disorders and improve brain-inspired AI systems.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows traveling waves and cortical dynamics play a role in information processing, supporting potential relevance of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sejnowski, Terrence J — Salk Institute for Biological Studies
- Study coordinator: Sejnowski, Terrence J
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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.