# Investigating ripple oscillations as a mechanism for human memory retrieval

> **NIH NIH F31** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $35,470

## Abstract

Abstract
Episodic memory is a fundamental part of human experience that provides direction for current behavior based
on past events. Memory retrieval is theorized to be mediated by oscillatory communication between the medial
temporal lobe (MTL) and the neocortex. Recently, ripple oscillations have emerged as a potential neural
substrate for this communication dynamic in rodents. However this mechanism is poorly understood in
humans, and efforts thus far have not revealed the role of oscillations in mediating memory processes across
the human brain. This project therefore seeks to characterize the relevant oscillatory neural dynamics that may
underlie the mechanisms of human memory. We will use intracranial EEG (iEEG) recordings during a verbal
memory task to investigate oscillatory activity in the human brain, potentially demonstrating that ripple
oscillations are coupled between the human medial temporal lobe and neocortex during memory retrieval. As
we have previously shown that distributed neural oscillations are reinstated upon successful memory retrieval,
we expect that ripples may also orchestrate this process in the human brain. Additionally, through microarray
recordings, we aim to demonstrate the relationship between oscillations and single neuron spiking activity,
particularly if ripples influence the replay of cortical multi-unit activity that also may underlie human memory.
Connecting the macro neural activity at the iEEG scale to the spiking of individual neurons will allow us to
develop a more nuanced understanding of the oscillatory communication between brain areas in the service of
memory. Finally, we will model any interactions between oscillatory and spiking activity in the human brain
during memory processes in order to develop a more principled understanding of cognitively relevant
interactions between the neural activities on these different spatial scales. This theoretical approach will allow
for a mechanistic and potentially causal explanation of neural activity during memory retrieval. Taken together,
we will employ both empirical and theoretical approaches to investigate if oscillatory activity between the
medial temporal lobe and neocortex underlies successful memory retrieval in the human brain.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9947746
- **Project number:** 5F31NS113400-02
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Alex Vaz
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $35,470
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-07-01 → 2021-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9947746

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9947746, Investigating ripple oscillations as a mechanism for human memory retrieval (5F31NS113400-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9947746. Licensed CC0.

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