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Neural mechanisms for reducing interference during episodic memory formation

Award Number: R01NS089729
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/30/2014
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2025

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Neural mechanisms for reducing interference during episodic memory formation - Project Summary/Abstract One of the biggest challenges to successful remembering is the potential for confusion or interference between similar memories. For every password, name, or parking space that we store in memory, there are many other passwords, names or parking spaces that we have already learned or will learn in the future. While interference is a factor in relatively benign—yet annoying—examples of ‘normal’ forgetting, it is also a major factor in clinically significant examples of forgetting that occur with aging and/or dementia. Thus, there is a fundamental need to understand the neural mechanisms that support the acquisition/retrieval of similar memories while minimizing interference and corresponding forgetting. Computational models of episodic memory have emphasized the critical role of pattern separation in reducing memory interference. Pattern separation involves coding similar memories such that differences between memories are exaggerated and the potential for confusion is thereby minimized. While there is general agreement that pattern separation is implemented by the hippocampus—and that pattern separation is important for reducing memory interference—there remain several fundamental gaps in our understanding of how, when, and why pattern separation occurs. In particular, there remains ambiguity as far as (a) the learning contexts in which each mechanism might be recruited, (b) what the corresponding neural signatures of each mechanism are, and (c) the specific behavioral consequences associated with the engagement of each mechanism. We propose a systematic investigation of the contexts in which integration and pattern separation occur with the goal of using sophisticated, cutting-edge neuroimaging (fMRI) techniques to identify distributed patterns of neural activity that are diagnostic of each mechanism. Critically, we also plan to use these observed patterns of neural activity—that is, neural evidence for integration vs. separation—to predict behavioral memory phenomena, including interference-related forgetting. The research represents a strong synthesis of psychology and neuroscience questions with an emphasis on learning mechanisms inspired by computational models and analysis approaches that draw from the fields of machine learning and data mining.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $439,195 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1776 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	10	11/22/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$434,850
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1776 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	10	11/26/2024	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$4,345
														Subtotal = $439,195

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $520,944 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1776 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	002	9	4/23/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$33,820
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1776 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	003	9	5/14/2024	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$0
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1585 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	9	1/8/2024	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$52,274
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1585 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	9	11/20/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$434,850
														Subtotal = $520,944

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $483,166 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1585 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	8	1/31/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$48,316
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1585 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	8	12/1/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$434,850
														Subtotal = $483,166

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $483,775 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1585 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	7	3/25/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$48,376
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1585 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	7	11/19/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$435,399
														Subtotal = $483,775

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $485,965 )
2021	2021	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1585 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	003	6	8/31/2021	COMPETING CONTINUATION	$5,363
2021	2021	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1585 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	6	12/15/2020	COMPETING CONTINUATION	$485,965
2021	2018	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1585 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	002	5	8/31/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$5,363
2021	2018	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1585 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	5	12/24/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $485,965

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2020	2018	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1585 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	5	9/24/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2018 ( Subtotal = $278,688 )
2018	2018	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1585 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	5	7/5/2018	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$278,688
														Subtotal = $278,688

Issue Date FY: 2017 ( Subtotal = $278,688 )
2017	2017	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	1585 E 13TH AVE	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	4	7/24/2017	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$278,688
														Subtotal = $278,688

Issue Date FY: 2016 ( Subtotal = $278,688 )
2016	2016	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	POST OFFICE BOX 3237	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	3	7/20/2016	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$278,688
														Subtotal = $278,688

Issue Date FY: 2015 ( Subtotal = $285,469 )
2015	2015	UNIVERSITY OF OREGON	POST OFFICE BOX 3237	EUGENE	OR	97403	LANE	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	2	8/25/2015	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$285,469
														Subtotal = $285,469

Issue Date FY: 2014 ( Subtotal = $306,165 )
2014	2014	NEW YORK UNIVERSITY	SPONSORED PGMS ACCOUNTING	NEW YORK	NY	10003	NEW YORK	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	1	9/22/2014	NEW	$306,165
														Subtotal = $306,165

Grand Total All Awards = $3,840,743

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Neural mechanisms for reducing interference during episodic memory formation

Award Number: R01NS089729

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/30/2014

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2025

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