Decoding the Brain's Memory System: Insights from the Hippocampus | Dr Marielena Sosa скачать в хорошем качестве

Decoding the Brain's Memory System: Insights from the Hippocampus | Dr Marielena Sosa

How does the brain build memory — and why does reward reshape what we remember? In this episode of The Vitality Lab, I sit down with Marielena Sosa to discuss her postdoctoral research at Stanford University, where she investigated how the hippocampus encodes space, context, and reward to construct cognitive maps of experience. Dr. Sosa is now a Principal Investigator at University of Colorado Boulder, leading a lab focused on the neural mechanisms of memory, prediction, and contextual representation. In this conversation, we explore: • How memory is not passive storage but active prediction • How reward reorganizes neural representations in the hippocampus • The relationship between spatial encoding and value • What breaks down in aging and Alzheimer’s disease • Whether music and dance can engage compensatory neural circuits in Parkinson’s disease This episode moves from fundamental systems neuroscience to translational questions about neurodegeneration, plasticity, and how the brain continuously updates its internal model of the world. --- Chapters: 00:00 Understanding the Hippocampus and Memory 02:01 Types of Memory: Episodic vs Procedural 03:47 The Hippocampus and Brain Connectivity 05:13 Memory Formation and Dementia 08:04 Emotional Influence on Episodic Memory 09:27 Dopamine's Role in Memory 14:09 Place Cells: The Brain's GPS 23:34 Grid Cells and Navigation 29:49 Exploring Cell Types and Experimental Design 33:01 The Interplay of Grid Cells and Place Cells 34:07 Understanding Cognitive Maps 36:00 Aging and Cognitive Maps 39:48 Cellular Mechanisms in Memory and Aging 41:45 The Impact of Alcohol on Memory 42:53 Cognitive Maps and Reward 48:26 Gamification and Memory Enhancement 51:24 Predictive Nature of the Hippocampus 53:47 Dopamine and Reward Estimation 56:12 The Complexity of Reward Systems 57:39 Dance Therapy and Parkinson's Disease 01:00:26 Music, Memory, and Movement 01:04:40 Contextual Cues in Memory Recall 01:06:22 Innovative Approaches to Memory Enhancement 01:09:21 Neuroplasticity and Therapeutic Strategies