Why what you see and what you remember look different in the brain
The neural and behavioral causes underlying differences between visual perception and memory
This project looks at how the brain turns visual experiences into memories and whether that change helps explain memory loss in people with Alzheimer’s.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11307105 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would view pictures while researchers record brain activity during viewing and later when you try to remember them. The team will compare brain patterns for perception versus memory to see if memories shift toward meaning-based (semantic) representations and whether those signals move to different brain areas. They will use behavioral tests, brain imaging (like fMRI), and large-scale data analyses to map these differences. By studying healthy older adults alongside people with or at risk for Alzheimer’s, they aim to link these brain changes to the kinds of memory problems seen in the disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be older adults who can complete memory tests and MRI scans, including healthy volunteers, people with mild cognitive impairment, or those in early stages of Alzheimer’s.
Not a fit: People with advanced dementia who cannot perform memory tasks, individuals with MRI contraindications (e.g., certain implants), or those whose memory issues are unrelated to visual/semantic processing may not gain direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal early brain changes tied to Alzheimer’s memory decline and suggest new targets for diagnosis or treatment development.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work has shown perception and memory use different brain patterns and that visual/semantic image features can predict memory in Alzheimer’s, but directly testing the proposed 'semantic transformation' is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- University of Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bainbridge, Wilma a. — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Bainbridge, Wilma 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.