The CRISP theory of hippocampal function in episodic memory

作者：Cheng Sen^*

来源：Frontiers in Neural Circuits, 2013, 7: 88.

DOI：10.3389/fncir.2013.00088

• hippocampus
• episodic memory
• pattern completion
• pattern separation
• CA1
• CA3
• dentate gyrus
• standard model

Over the past four decades, a "standard framework" has emerged to explain the neural mechanisms of episodic memory storage. This framework has been instrumental in driving hippocampal research forward and now dominates the design and interpretation of experimental and theoretical studies. It postulates that cortical inputs drive plasticity in the recurrent cornu ammonis 3 (CA3) synapses to rapidly imprint memories as attract or statesin CA3. Here were view arange of experimental studies and argue that the evidence against the standard framework is mounting, not with standing the considerable evidence in its support. We propose CRISP as an alternative theory to the standard framework. CRISP is based on Context Reset by dentate gyrus (DG), Intrinsic Sequences in CA3, and Pattern completion in cornu ammonis 1(CA1). Compared to previous models, CRISP uses a radically different mechanism for storing episodic memories in the hippo campus. Neural sequences are in trinsic to CA3, and inputs are mapped on to the seintrinsic sequences through synapticplasticity in the feed forward projections of the hippo campus. Hence, CRISP do esnotrequire plasticity in the recurrent CA3 synapses during the storage process. Like in other theories DG and CA1 play supporting roles, however, their function in CRISP have distinct implications. For instance, CA1 performs pattern completion in the absence of CA3 and DG contributes to episodic memory retrieval, increasing the speed, precision, and robustness of retrieval. We propose the conceptual theory, discuss its implications for experimental results and suggest test able predictions. It appears that CRISP not only accounts for those experimental results that are consistent with the standard framework, but also for results that are at odds with the standard framework. We therefore suggest that CRISP is aviable, and perhaps superior, theory for the hippocampal function in episodic memory.

• 出版日期2013-5-6