MbShea@PWP@English@UMCP

Abstract: Episodic memory is the ability to remember a past experience and its contextual details. Previous literature suggests that the hippocampus (a brain region that plays a role in memory, emotion regulation, and spatial navigation) is associated with episodic memory performance in adults and children 8 years or older. Specifically, there seems to be a relation between hippocampal subregions (divisions of the hippocampus along the longitudinal axis into the head, body, and tail) and episodic memory ability. The development of this association, however, is not well understood despite the marked improvement in episodic memory observed during early childhood. To better assess this relation, children between the ages of 4 and 8 will participate in episodic memory tasks and undergo structural MRI scans . MRI scans will be processed using the Freesurfer pipeline to extract hippocampal subregion volumes, while performance on memory tasks will be coded to for quantitative analysis of the neural structure and the behavior. Changes in volume over age and children's performance on the memory tasks will be used to assess the developmental relation between the hippocampus and episodic memory. Findings from previous literature suggest that there should be a correlation between episodic memory performance and changes in hippocampal head volumes over age.

Reader Profile: Neuroethologist who is skeptical of the value of the research and the use of structural MRIs instead of fMRIs

Response: As a neuroethologist, I find it hard to understand the point of assessing the neural correlate for a behavior using structural MRIs as opposed to fMRIs. She should explain why structural MRIs are even useful for looking at this relationship. Why is she looking at subregions? Haven't we seen in mouse models that subfields are important for specific functions? What is the significance of these subregions? In addition, wouldn't it be more interesting to assess semantic memory? Episodic memory is too autobiographical in my opinion to have a lot of value for research. Clearly the two are related, why do we have to study them in children? Wouldn't it be hard to conduct the scans with such a young sample?

A -- sophisticated description of the skeptical reader. I expect that this summer and later in the fall you will have a chance to discuss this intellectual challenge with your colleagues, post docs, and PI. You can, then, address this "voice" in the final thesis document.

I do not expect a full counter argument for this project.

:) I really like real projects in science writing, which this prep for your summer truly is.