Neurobiological Contributions of Pubertal Development, Top-down Control of Emotional Arousal and Reward Processing on Mnemonic Performance

Authors

Adam KimblerFollow

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Major/Program

Cognitive Neuroscience

First Advisor's Name

Aaron T. Mattfeld

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee chair

Second Advisor's Name

Timothy A. Allen

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Third Advisor's Name

Matthew DeGennaro

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Fourth Advisor's Name

Dana L. McMakin

Fourth Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Keywords

cognitive neuroscience

Date of Defense

6-19-2023

Abstract

The hippocampus is crucial to the formation of new episodic memories — assisting in making memories distinct or overlapping through the processes of pattern separa- tion (making overlapping representations more distinct) and completion (reinstating stored representations) respectively. The modulation of pattern separation and completion, however, remains under specified. In this dissertation I will examine how valence, development, and reward processing, influence pattern separation and completion and in turn speculate how this impacts the formation of episodic memories. Emotional valence biases the hippocampus towards pattern comple- tion by enhancing sensory inputs to the hippocampus for arousing stimuli, making identification of similar contexts faster and aiding in pattern completion at the cost of accuracy. Additionally, I will examine how reward and valence influence these processes and change across the lifespan. Reward biases the hippocampal circuit toward pattern completion by enhancing synaptic connections with the CA1, facili-tating the transfer of information from the rhinal cortices. All of these modulatory influences work in tandem to influence the discriminability and generalizability of memories.

Identifier

FIDC011185

ORCID

0000-0001-5885-9596

Previously Published In

Kimbler A, McMakin DL, Tustison NJ, Mattfeld AT (2023) Cover Article: differential effects of emotional valence on mnemonic performance with greater hippocampal maturity. Learning & Memory 30:55–62.

Recommended Citation

Kimbler, Adam, "Neurobiological Contributions of Pubertal Development, Top-down Control of Emotional Arousal and Reward Processing on Mnemonic Performance" (2023). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 5379.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/5379