Why do you think your paper is highly cited?

The article reviews a growing body of research that suggests a functional organization of the brain system that supports our capacity for conscious recollection.

 Does it describe a new discovery, methodology, or synthesis of knowledge?

The paper describes a synthesis of research that includes studies on humans with amnesia due to brain damage, functional brain imaging in normal humans, and studies on animals that involve experimental removal of specific brain areas and recordings of neural activity in different brain areas. The results are converging on a relatively simple flow diagram of information processing by the cerebral cortex and structures in the medial temporal lobe that are critical for memory.

 Would you summarize the significance of your paper in layman's terms?

The significance of this paper is that it provides a framework for thinking about how our capacity for conscious recollection works in relatively simple terms of the flow of information through a system of brain areas.

 How did you become involved in this research, and were there any problems along the way?

More so than any other human capacity, our ability for memory defines who we are as individuals. The study of memory is key to an understanding of the inner workings of the mind. There are major challenges in this research. In particular, characterizing the brain circuitry that supports recollection requires studies on experimental animals. However, it is difficult to study recollection in animals that cannot tell you about their memories. Our success relies on going past the subjective aspects of conscious recollection and focusing on the contents of recollected memories.

 Where do you see your research leading in the future?

There is still a long way to go in outlining the detailed circuitry of this brain system. However, it promises to unlock a major mystery: how do we recollect the past?

 Do you foresee any social or political implications for your research?

This research is of substantial interest to philosophers and cognitive scientists who seek to understand the mind. The findings are also central to progress in developing treatments for memory disorders in disease and aging.

Howard Eichenbaum, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Center for Memory and Brain
Boston University
Boston, MA, USA
Web

Keywords: amnesia, brain damage, functional brain imaging, animal studies, experimental removal of specific brain areas, recordings of neural activity, cerebral cortex, medial temporal lobe, conscious recollection, memory defines who we are, brain circuitry, memory disorders in disease and aging.