Neurophysiological and molecular approaches to understanding the mechanisms of learning and memory

Abstract

ABSTRACT One of the most fundamental features of the mammalian brain is its ability to encode, store and retrieve a large amount of information. The neurobiology of this ability has been studied for decades, and many brain areas and mechanisms have now been linked to the storage of a broad range of memory types. Even though there are still ongoing uncertainties about where and how memories are stored, one cellular mechanism that has been implicated consistently is long-term potentiation (LTP). Here, we summarise briefly the current state of knowledge and the links between hippocampal LTP and memory. In the course of this discussion, we will also review the electrophysiological, biochemical and molecular tools used in our lab and others to study the cellular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity as induced using in vivo, in vitro and behavioural approaches. We also discuss the evidence of impaired synaptic plasticity as a core feature of Alzheimer’s disease and some of the novel therapeutic interventions being tested in our lab.