The extended trajectory of hippocampal development: Implications for early memory development and disorder
Year: 2015
Type: review
Abstract: Hippocampus has an extended developmental trajectory, with refinements occurring in the trisynaptic circuit until adolescence. While structural change should suggest a protracted course in behavior, some studies find evidence of precocious hippocampal development in the first postnatal year and continuity in memory processes beyond. However, a number of memory functions, including binding and relational inference, can be cortically supported. Evidence from the animal literature suggests that tasks often associated with hippocampus (visual paired comparison, binding of a visuomotor response) can be mediated by structures external to hippocampus. Thus, a complete examination of memory development will have to rule out cortex as a source of early memory competency. We propose that early memory must show properties associated with full function of the trisynaptic circuit to reflect "adult-like" memory function, mainly (1) rapid encoding of contextual details of overlapping patterns, and (2) retention of these details over sleep-dependent delays. A wealth of evidence suggests that these functions are not apparent until 18-24 months, with behavioral discontinuities reflecting shifts in the neural structures subserving memory beginning approximately at this point in development. We discuss the implications of these observations for theories of memory and for identifying and measuring memory function in populations with typical and atypical hippocampal function.
Authors: Rebecca L. Gómez, Jamie O. Edgin
Institution: University of Arizona
Language: English
Topic: Memory and Neural Mechanisms
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,650
Awards: G1575814914, G1954419095, G2358308808, The role of sleep in language learning and abstraction, G2894158717, Expressive Language Sampling as an Outcome Measure, G3137087602, G3840818270, G3840958785, University of Arizona - to identify infants at risk of developing neurological disorders by measuring sleep quality and relating it to brain functions such as language and..., G4404428364, G533013889, G5584241038, G6198861774, Sleep-dependent memory consolidation in very young infants, G636685825, G6399992614, G6619878249, G7180715946, G7230333054, G784527875, G8814669140
OpenAlex ID: W2096523390