# Hippocampal and prefrontal contributions to memory integration

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · 2020 · $661,398

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Hippocampus (HPC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) structure and connectivity continue to develop through
childhood and adolescence, developmental periods that are associated with substantial gains in memory and
cognitive ability. While such structural changes are well documented, we know little about the functions that
HPC and PFC development confer, fundamentally limiting our understanding of the mechanisms of cognitive
development. The overarching goal of this proposal is to test the hypothesis that the representational capacity
of the HPC—PFC memory circuit transforms across development from a system that stores individual
memories in childhood to a mature system in adulthood wherein cognitive maps represent the relationships
among multiple episodes. Cognitive maps allow memory to extend beyond direct experience by coding
unobserved relationships among multiple events. In the absence of a mature HPC—PFC system, such
knowledge extension through cognitive map formation may be limited in children and adolescents, and
therefore result in development differences in learning, decision making, and reasoning behaviors that require
consideration of the relationships among multiple events. Moreover, the differential time course of HPC and
PFC development, in which mature HPC function may emerge earlier than that of PFC, suggests there may be
distinct patterns of memory representation and behavior in adolescence that differ from both childhood and
adulthood. To answer these open questions, the proposed studies use a combination of high-resolution
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and sophisticated multivariate pattern analyses in children (7-9
years), younger adolescents (10-12 years), older adolescents (13-15 years), and adults (25-30 years). Using
these methods, we will quantify: (1) age-related differences in HPC—PFC memory integration and separation
strategies that support cognitive map formation and (2) how developmental differences in neural representation
impact temporal (Aim 1), spatial (Aim 2), and event memory (Aim 3). Collectively, the results from this project
will provide a key test of fundamental theories of cognitive development and substantially advance our
knowledge of the representational capacities of the HPC—PFC memory system at different ages. In doing so,
the findings have the potential to inform interventions designed to enhance memory and reasoning abilities that
rely on cognitive maps, including in individuals diagnosed with mental health or neurodevelopmental disorders
associated with memory deficits (e.g., autism, depression, Fragile X, or schizophrenia).
.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9957121
- **Project number:** 5R01MH100121-08
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
- **Principal Investigator:** Alison R Preston
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $661,398
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2013-04-17 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9957121

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9957121, Hippocampal and prefrontal contributions to memory integration (5R01MH100121-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9957121. Licensed CC0.

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