ENCODING AND RETRIEVAL OF EPISODIC MEMORIES - ROLE OF CHOLINERGIC ANDGABAERGIC MODULATION IN THE HIPPOCAMPUS

This research focuses on linking episodic memory function to the cellu lar physiology of hippocampal neurons, with a particular emphasis on m odulatory effects at cholinergic and gamma-aminobutyric acid B recepto rs. Drugs which block acetylcholine receptors (e.g., scopolamine) have been shown to impair encoding of new information in humans, nonhuman primates, and rodents. Extensive data have been gathered about the cel lular effects of acetylcholine in the hippocampus. In this research, m odels of individual hippocampal subregions have been utilized to under stand the significance of particular features of modulation, and these hippocampal subregions have been combined in a network simulation whi ch can replicate the selective encoding impairment produced by scopola mine in human subjects. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.