A Computational Framework for Memory Engrams.

Journal: Advances in neurobiology
PMID:

Abstract

Memory engrams in mice brains are potentially related to groups of concept cells in human brains. A single concept cell in human hippocampus responds, for example, not only to different images of the same object or person but also to its name written down in characters. Importantly, a single mental concept (object or person) is represented by several concept cells and each concept cell can respond to more than one concept. Computational work shows how mental concepts can be embedded in recurrent artificial neural networks as memory engrams and how neurons that are shared between different engrams can lead to associations between concepts. Therefore, observations at the level of neurons can be linked to cognitive notions of memory recall and association chains between memory items.

Authors

  • Chiara Gastaldi
    Brain Mind Institute - School of Computer and Communication Sciences - School of Life Sciences, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland.
  • Wulfram Gerstner
    School of Computer and Communication Sciences and Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland wulfram.gerstner@epfl.ch.