Memory networks of the brain: Investigating the widespread neural substrates of memory with converging methods
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
Presents:
Memory networks of the brain:
Investigating the widespread neural substrates of memory with converging methods
Dr. David E. Warren
Department of Neurology
University of Iowa
Monday, April 14, 2014
3:30 p.m.
339A Fawcett Hall
Memory processes are supported by a widespread network of brain regions, but the specific contribution of each region remains underspecified. In my research, I investigate the distinct roles of brain regions in memory networks by using behavioral tasks, eye-movement monitoring, structural and functional neuroimaging, and neuropsychological testing of brain-injured patients. This work has revealed surprising memory-related functions in regions not generally thought to participate in memory processes, as when damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex reduced false memory. Additionally, this work has shown new roles for well-studied parts of memory networks, including a significant role in ongoing cognition for the hippocampus and medial temporal lobes. These investigations demonstrate the potential for projects that focus on memory operations as the result of coordination among distributed brain networks, and this perspective has important implications for theories of memory function as well as treatment of neurological disorders.