Illuminating the mental memoriam

Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, 2015.

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Ramirez, Steve (Ramirez Moreno)
Other Authors: Susumu Tonegawa.
Format: Thesis
Language:eng
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/103205
_version_ 1826200747022221312
author Ramirez, Steve (Ramirez Moreno)
author2 Susumu Tonegawa.
author_facet Susumu Tonegawa.
Ramirez, Steve (Ramirez Moreno)
author_sort Ramirez, Steve (Ramirez Moreno)
collection MIT
description Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, 2015.
first_indexed 2024-09-23T11:41:08Z
format Thesis
id mit-1721.1/103205
institution Massachusetts Institute of Technology
language eng
last_indexed 2024-09-23T11:41:08Z
publishDate 2016
publisher Massachusetts Institute of Technology
record_format dspace
spelling mit-1721.1/1032052019-04-12T15:23:58Z Illuminating the mental memoriam Ramirez, Steve (Ramirez Moreno) Susumu Tonegawa. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, 2015. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references (pages 212-230). Memories thread and unify our overall sense of being. With the accumulation of our knowledge about how memories are formed, consolidated, retrieved, and updated, neuroscience has reached a point where brain cells active during these discrete mnemonic processes can be identified and manipulated at rapid timescales. Here, I begin with historical studies that lead to the modem memory engram theory. Then, I present our recent advances in memory research that combine transgenic and optogenetic approaches to reveal underlying neuronal substrates sufficient for activating mnemonic processes. Our studies' conclusions are threefold: (1) we provide proof of principle evidence demonstrating that learning-related neural changes can be isolated at the level of single cells, and that these cells can then be tagged for subsequent manipulation; (2) a defined subset of hippocampus cells are sufficient to elicit the neuronal and behavioral expression of memory recall, as well as sufficient to modify existing positive and negative memories; (3) and finally, artificially activated memories can be leveraged to acutely and chronically suppress psychiatric disease-related states. We propose that hippocampus cells that show activity-dependent changes during learning construct a cellular basis for contextual memory engrams and that directly activating these endogenous neuronal processes may be an effective means to correct maladaptive behaviors. by Steve Ramirez. Ph. D. 2016-06-22T17:47:01Z 2016-06-22T17:47:01Z 2015 2015 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/103205 951472579 eng M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 231, 381-391, 1-9, 1-7, 1-5, 6 unnumbered, 1-7, 1 unnumbered, 335-339, 11 unnumbered pages application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology
spellingShingle Brain and Cognitive Sciences.
Ramirez, Steve (Ramirez Moreno)
Illuminating the mental memoriam
title Illuminating the mental memoriam
title_full Illuminating the mental memoriam
title_fullStr Illuminating the mental memoriam
title_full_unstemmed Illuminating the mental memoriam
title_short Illuminating the mental memoriam
title_sort illuminating the mental memoriam
topic Brain and Cognitive Sciences.
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/103205
work_keys_str_mv AT ramirezsteveramirezmoreno illuminatingthementalmemoriam