title: In search of a recognition memory engram.
abstract: A large body of data from human and animal studies using psychological, recording, imaging, and lesion techniques indicates that recognition memory involves at least two separable processes: familiarity discrimination and recollection. Familiarity discrimination for individual visual stimuli seems to be effected by a system centred on the perirhinal cortex of the temporal lobe. The fundamental change that encodes prior occurrence within the perirhinal cortex is a reduction in the responses of neurones when a stimulus is repeated. Neuronal network modelling indicates that a system based on such a change in responsiveness is potentially highly efficient in information theoretic terms. A review is given of findings indicating that perirhinal cortex acts as a storage site for recognition memory of objects and that such storage depends upon processes producing synaptic weakening.
authors.affiliation: University of Bristol, School of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical Sciences Building, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK. Electronic address: M.W.Brown@Bristol.ac.uk.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: University of Bristol, School of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical Sciences Building, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Banks
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002645:Chickens; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Familiarity; Imprinting; LTD; LTP; Perirhinal cortex