Learning to remember: the development of the neural mechanisms supporting memory processing.

Most people cannot remember anything before their third birthday. The inability of adults to retrieve episodic memories is called infantile amnesia. The reason behind this mnemonic deficit is not known. The EU-funded DEVMEM project will track the ontogenesis of memory processing (encoding, consolidation and retrieval) to identify the circuit mechanisms underlying our ability to learn and remember. Specifically, it will study the ontogeny of brain-wide hippocampus-centred memory networks. The project will investigate the role of hippocampus, pre-frontal and striatal circuits in orchestrating memory emergence. The findings will be used to further advance knowledge and understanding of healthy memory processing in adulthood.