Animal Models of Episodic Memory?

Charan Ranganath

Center for Neuroscience and Dept of Psychology, UC Davis

Visit us on the web at: http://dml.ucdavis.edu

Center for NeuroscienceUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS

Levels of analysis

Conscious Experience

(Subjective Report)

Neural Substrates (lesion effects)

Neural Correlates (physiology/imaging) Functional

Characteristics

(effects of behavioral manipulations)

Episodic Memory

Levels of analysis

Conscious Experience

(Subjective Report)

Information: Who, What, When Where

Memory Constructs

Confidence

Issues for discussion (or caution)

• Homologies in tasks: – Do humans, rats, and monkeys do task the same way?– Materials: words = odors/locations = objects?– Does extensive training change way memory tasks are performed?

• Homologies in brain structures: Prefrontal cortex • Influence of “non-memory” processes• Connection with pharmacology research (which often

focuses on plasticity/consolidation)?