# Neural basis of memory in primate medial temporal lobe

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2022 · $345,625

## Abstract

Project Summary
The medial temporal lobe (MTL) plays a critical role in the rapid formation of episodic memories in
human and nonhuman primates, while research performed in freely-moving rodents has likewise
identified these same structure as being pivotal for spatial navigation. Each of these lines of work
reflect powerful research traditions that have significantly contributed to our understanding of medial
temporal lobe function, but questions remain about how to reconcile their considerable data sets. One
compelling hypothesis is that the same neural mechanisms that support the role of MTL in spatial
navigation also support the formation of episodic memories. We propose an innovative set of
experiments designed to directly test this hypothesis Our approach involves recording neural activity
from the same neurons in the medial temporal lobe of marmoset monkeys in two contexts. One
involves head-restrained subjects performing a recognition memory task typical of human
experiments while in the other freely-moving subjects navigate spatial environments commonly used
in studies of rodents. Our innovative approach will allow us to test – for the first time - whether the
same neurons in primate medial temporal lobe support behaviors performed in tasks representative
of these two research traditions. Aim 1 seeks to characterize recognition memory in marmosets using
a task that – like spatial navigation – relies on incidental memory formation. Experiments in Aim 2
examine the role of the hippocampal CA fields and entorhinal cortex in spatial navigation, including
the putative existence of place cells and grid cells, respectively. Aim 3 directly tests the principal
question of this proposal by recording from the identical neurons while subjects perform the
recognition memory task in Aim 1 and navigate spatial environments similar to studies in Aim 2.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10318600
- **Project number:** 5R01NS109294-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Jill K Leutgeb
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $345,625
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-12-01 → 2023-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10318600

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10318600, Neural basis of memory in primate medial temporal lobe (5R01NS109294-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10318600. Licensed CC0.

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