Cellular and molecular mechanisms of memory formation

There is an ever growing field of research involved in memory formation using a wide variety of approaches, from single cell recordings to studies of behaving animals and humans. In my lab we use a top-down approach, whereby we study learning in the intact animal and then look at the changes occurring on the level of neural circuits and individual cells. The use of the simple and well characterised model system of the pond snail (Lymnaea stagnalis) provides us with the opportunity to directly relate changes on the level of individual, identified neurons to the behaviour in the whole animal.

Recently the focus of our research has been concentrated on two areas: the neural mechanisms of decision making and the processes underlying periods of lapses in memory. Our findings have major implications for current models of decision making on the level of neuronal circuits and on the understanding of how periods of lapses can have an adaptive function in memory consolidation. One of the major impacts of our work is that by characterising novel mechanisms of neuronal plasticity it can provide possible targets for therapeutic interventions. We also use computational techniques to influence the operation of specific cells and circuits which can be utilized in the fast developing field of robotics.  

Our work is funded by the BBSRC.

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