Scientists currently study memory from many different perspectives: neurobiological, ethological, animal conditioning, cognitive, behavioral neuroscience, social, and cultural. The aim of this book is to help initiate a new science of memory by bringing these perspectives together to create a unified understanding of the topic. The book began with a conference where leading practitioners from all these major approaches met to analyze and discuss 16 concepts that are crucial to our understanding of memory. Each of these 16 concepts is addressed in a section of the book, and in the 66 succinct chapters that fill these sections, a leading researcher addresses the section's concept by clearly stating his or her position on it, elucidating how it is used, and discussing how it should be used in future research. For some concepts, there is general agreement among practitioners from different fields and levels of analysis, but for others there is general disagreement and much controversy. A final chapter in each section, also written by a leading researcher, integrates the various viewpoints offered on the section's concept, then draws conclusions about the concept. This groundbreaking volume will be an indispensable reference for all the students and researchers who will build upon the foundation it provides for the new science of memory.

Scientists study memory from many different perspectives - neurobiological, ethological, animal conditioning, cognitive, behavioural neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, and social and cultural. This text discusses 16 concepts that are critical to understanding memory.

The strengths and weaknesses of human memory have fascinated people for hundreds of years, so it is not surprising that memory research has remained one of the most flourishing areas in science. During the last decade, however, a genuine science of memory has emerged, resulting in research and theories that are rich, complex, and far reaching in their implications. Endel Tulving and Fergus Craik, both leaders in memory research, have created this highly accessible guide to their field. In each chapter, eminent researchers provide insights into their particular areas of expertise in memory research. Together, the chapters in this handbook lay out the theories and presents the evidence on which they are based, highlights the important new discoveries, and defines their consequences for professionals and students in psychology, neuroscience, clinical medicine, law, and engineering.

"Concise, nontechnical explanations of major principles of memory and attention, plus ideas for handling technology use in the classroom"--

This is an innovative and engaging companion to the language of memory research. It consists of over 130 entries, bound within a coherent conceptual framework. Each entry starts with a definition, or a set of definitions, followed by an in-depth and provocative discussion of the origin, meaning, usage and aplicability of ideas and problems central to the neuroscience of memory and scientific culture at large. The entries, linked by webs of associations, can be read and enjoyed, and provide a versatile tool kit: a source for definitions, information and further reading; a trigger for contemplation, discussion and experimentation; and an aid to study, teaching and debate in classes and seminars. The text is supported by an extensive reference listing, and there is a comprehensive subject index, incorporating a much wider range of terms relevant to the field.

Concepts embody our knowledge of the kinds of things there are in the world. Tying our past experiences to our present interactions with the environment, they enable us to recognize and understand new objects and events. Concepts are also relevant to understanding domains such as social situations, personality types, and even artistic styles. Yet like other phenomenologically simple cognitive processes such as walking or understanding speech, concept formation and use are maddeningly complex. Research since the 1970s and the decline of the "classical view" of concepts have greatly illuminated the psychology of concepts. But persistent theoretical disputes have sometimes obscured this progress. The Big Book of Concepts goes beyond those disputes to reveal the advances that have been made, focusing on the major empirical discoveries. By reviewing and evaluating research on diverse topics such as category learning, word meaning, conceptual development in infants and children, and the basic level of categorization, the book develops a much broader range of criteria than is usual for evaluating theories of concepts.

This fully revised second edition provides the only unified synthesis of available information concerning the mechanisms of higher-order memory formation. It spans the range from learning theory, to human and animal behavioral learning models, to cellular physiology and biochemistry. It is unique in its incorporation of chapters on memory disorders, tying in these clinically important syndromes with the basic science of synaptic plasticity and memory mechanisms. It also covers cutting-edge approaches such as the use of genetically engineered animals in studies of memory and memory diseases. Written in an engaging and easily readable style and extensively illustrated with many new, full-color figures to help explain key concepts, this book demystifies the complexities of memory and deepens the reader's understanding. - More than 25% new content, particularly expanding the scope to include new findings in translational research. - Unique in its depth of coverage of molecular and cellular mechanisms - Extensive cross-referencing to Comprehensive Learning and Memory - Discusses clinically relevant memory disorders in the context of modern molecular research and includes numerous practical examples

The brain ... There is no other part of the human anatomy that is so intriguing. How does it develop and function and why does it sometimes, tragically, degenerate? The answers are complex. In Discovering the Brain, science writer Sandra Ackerman cuts through the complexity to bring this vital topic to the public. The 1990s were declared the "Decade of the Brain" by former President Bush, and the neuroscience community responded with a host of new investigations and conferences. Discovering the Brain is based on the Institute of Medicine conference, Decade of the Brain: Frontiers in Neuroscience and Brain Research. Discovering the Brain is a "field guide" to the brainâ€"an easy-to-read discussion of the brain's physical structure and where functions such as language and music appreciation lie. Ackerman examines: How electrical and chemical signals are conveyed in the brain. The mechanisms by which we see, hear, think, and pay attentionâ€"and how a "gut feeling" actually originates in the brain. Learning and memory retention, including parallels to computer memory and what they might tell us about our own mental capacity. Development of the brain throughout the life span, with a look at the aging brain. Ackerman provides an enlightening chapter on the connection between the brain's physical condition and various mental disorders and notes what progress can realistically be made toward the prevention and treatment of stroke and other ailments. Finally, she explores the potential for major advances during the "Decade of the Brain," with a look at medical imaging techniquesâ€"what various technologies can and cannot tell usâ€"and how the public and private sectors can contribute to continued advances in neuroscience. This highly readable volume will provide the public and policymakersâ€"and many scientists as wellâ€"with a helpful guide to understanding the many discoveries that are sure to be announced throughout the "Decade of the Brain."

*A New York Times bestseller* 'Using her expertise as a neuroscientist and her gifts as a storyteller, Lisa Genova explains the nuances of human memory' - Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and bestselling author of How The Mind Works 'No one writes more brilliantly about the connections between the brain, the mind, and the heart. Remember is a beautiful, fascinating, and important book about the mysteries of human memory - what it is, how it works, and what happens when it is stolen from us. A scientific and literary treat that you will not soon forget.' - Daniel Gilbert ( New York Times bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness) Have you ever felt a crushing wave of panic when you can't for the life of you remember the name of that actor in the movie you saw last week, or you walk into a room only to forget why you went there in the first place? If you're over forty, you're probably not laughing. You might even be worried that these lapses in memory could be an early sign of Alzheimer's or dementia. In reality, for the vast majority of us, these examples of forgetting are completely normal. Why? Because while memory is amazing, it is far from perfect. Our brains aren't designed to remember every name we hear, plan we make or day we experience. Just because your memory sometimes fails doesn't mean it's broken or succumbing to disease. Forgetting is actually part of being human. In Remember, neuroscientist and acclaimed novelist Lisa Genova delves into how memories are made and how we retrieve them. In explaining whether forgotten memories are temporarily inaccessible or erased forever and why some memories are built to exist for only a few seconds while others can last a lifetime, we're shown the clear distinction between normal forgetting (where you parked your car) and forgetting due to Alzheimer's (that you own a car). Remember shows us how to create a better relationship with our memory - so we no longer have to fear it any more, which can be life-changing.

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is by far the most dominant model for neuronal changes that might encode memory. LTP is an elegant concept that meets many criteria set up by theoreticians long before the model's discovery, and it also fits anatomical data of learning-dependent synapse changes. Since the discovery of LTP, the question has remained about how closely LTP produced in vitro by artificial stimulation of neurons actually models putative learning-induced synaptic changes. A number of recent investigations have tried to correlate synaptic changes observed after learning with changes produced by artificial stimulation of neurons. These studies have failed to find a correlation between the two forms of synaptic plasticity. In this book, an international group of neurobiologists and psychologists discuss their latest ideas and data. The results of experiments using electrophysiological techniques in vitro are discussed and compared with the results of in vivo experiments. Learning experiments are also discussed. Theoretical models such as the Hebb theory of synaptic changes during learning are compared to different models that do not predict upregulation of synaptic transmission. A wide approach is taken, and research and models in different brain areas such as the neocortex and the basal brain are discussed.