Learning and Memory

Our brains learn and remember information by modifying synaptic connections in neuronal networks. These changes occur in different circuits and regions of the brain, depending on the occasion. The underlying molecular mechanisms are dynamic and complex, but they are also error-prone, as memories can be distorted or lost.

Written and edited by experts in the field, this collection from Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biologyexamines all aspects of the neurobiology of learning and memory. Contributors review the various types of memory (explicit and implicit) and the anatomical regions and specialized cells (e.g., place cells and grid cells) involved. The induction of synaptic changes during memory encoding, the transcriptional and translational programs required for memory stabilization, the molecular signals that actively maintain memories, and the activation of neural ensembles during memory retrieval are comprehensively covered.

The authors also discuss the use of model organisms (e.g., Aplysia) and state-of-the-art technologies (e.g., fMRI) to elucidate these processes. This volume will serve as a valuable reference for all neurobiologists and biomedical scientists wishing to explore the remarkable phenomena of learning and memory.