Modulating the consolidation of spatial memories via enhancement of EEG theta rhythm through audio-visual sensory entrainment

• Applicant: Dr. Tobias Wagner-Altendorf
• Subject Area: Human Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience ; Clinical Neurology; Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology
• Term: from 2021 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 465881133

Memory, i.e. the capacity to store and retrieve data or information over time, is a key function of human cognition. The “consolidation” of memories thereby denotes the transition from a short-term, relatively unstable form, to a more robust, long-term form – lasting days to months and even years. While in the initial state of rapid plasticity, in particular new hippocampal connections are formed, the gradual process of long-term consolidation involves hippocampal-neocortical interactions.One particular neural signal that seems to be linked to memory consolidation and that is in the center of my study, is the EEG theta rhythm: The phase of theta oscillations was shown to modulate hippocampal synaptic plasticity in rodents; and connections between theta oscillations and memory have also been described in human scalp EEG studies. Probably, both genuine neocortical and hippocampal theta rhythms interact and differentially contribute to memory.Preliminary studies of both my host research group at Northwestern University and others have pointed to a promising method to study theta-related memory processing, by enhancing EEG theta rhythm via “sensory entrainment”, i.e. via application of rhythmic auditory and/or visual stimulation at theta frequency. Based on this preliminary work, my research project aims at the following objectives: 1. Establishing a paradigm examining memory consolidation and retrieval for spatial information2. Modulating post-acquisition EEG oscillations through bimodal synchronous audio-visual sensory entrainment at theta and beta frequencies3. Analyzing the effects of the audio-visual theta entrainment on memory consolidation, in comparison to both the beta entrainment and to a no-stimulation control condition I expect1. a larger theta to be associated with better subsequent recall for spatial memories2. the post-acquisition sensory entrainment of theta oscillations to lead to a better memory performance 3. the post-acquisition beta entrainment not to be related to memory performance

• DFG Programme: WBP Fellowship
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Ken Paller, Ph.D.