Cognitive and neural processes underlying memory for time and context

Memory;Cognitive neuroscience;Episodic memory

Persson, Bjorn Martin ; Ainge, James Alexander ; Ainge, James Alexander

University:University of St Andrews

Department:Psychology & Neuroscience (School of)

关键词: Memory;    Cognitive neuroscience;    Episodic memory;   

Others  :  https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10023/11024/BjornPerssonPhDThesis.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y

来源: DR-NTU

【 摘 要 】

The aim of this thesis is to examine the underlying cognitive and neural processes at playduring retrieval of temporal and contextual source information. This was assessed acrossthree experimental chapters. In the first experimental chapter, Chapter 2, the neural loci ofcontext associations were assessed. Rats trained on an odour-context association task weregiven lesions to either the Lateral Entorhinal Cortex (LEC) or sham lesions. After surgery,performance on the odour-context task was assessed. It was hypothesised that memory forpreviously learned odour-context associations would be impaired following LEC lesions butnot sham lesions. The results supported this hypothesis, demonstrating impaired memory forthe previously learned odour-context associations in the LEC lesion group compared to theSham lesion. In Chapter 3, the underlying retrieval processes used to retrieve time andcontext in human memory was assessed across three experiments. It was hypothesised thattime would be remembered accurately using both recollection and familiarity, while correctcontext memory should rely on recollection alone. Two out of the three experimentssupported this hypothesis, demonstrating that temporal information can be retrieved usingfamiliarity in certain instances. The final experimental Chapter 4 used fMRI to extendChapter 3 and examine whether neural activity would be greater in regions associated withrecollection during memory for context, while activity in familiarity-related regions would behigher during memory for time. Results revealed no support for these predictions with noregions linked to recollection showing greater context-related activity, and no regionspreviously linked to familiarity exhibiting increased activation as temporal information wasretrieved. The results are discussed in relation to established recollection and familiarityframeworks and previous work examining the neural substrates supporting memory for timeand context.