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Developmental aspects of spatial training on the persistence of memory function during normal and pathological aging

Description: The proposed experiments aim to uncover how, amidst constant metabolic turnover in the brain, memories are stored and become stable, durable and persistent through time. The novelty and significance of this line of work is that little is known concerning the mechanisms underlying memories processed and stored by the juvenile, developing mammalian brain and how they might affect memory processes during normal and pathological aging. The experiments outlined in this proposal will contribute significantly to the field of memory by identifying the crucial structures, proteins and metabolical changes that occur with early experiences to potentially facilitate memory processes throughout the lifespan. This approach is innovative in that it represents a new tool in the study of early life memory processing during development related to early changes in synaptic organization, genetic and metabolic factors. The introduction of more ecologically valid behavioural testing procedures presents a more flexible approach through which more intricate explorations of memory storage can occur. The contributions from this work will help provide the basic knowledge required to address issues of memory enhancements and deficits during the aging and neurodegenerative processes. (AU)

Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

Funding type: grant

Funder scheme: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular

Start date: 2017-03-01

End date: 2019-02-28

Investigator: Fernando Augusto de Oliveira Ribeiro

Institution: Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Centro de Matemática, Computação e Cognição (CMCC)

Topic: Memory and Neural Mechanisms

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Funded outputs count: 3