Precision, binding, and the hippocampus: Precisely what are we talking about?. (17th February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ekstrom, Arne D.; Yonelinas, Andrew P.
• Is Part Of: Neuropsychologia. Volume 138(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-02-17
• Subjects: Episodic memory -- Hippocampus -- Spatiotemporal context -- Perception -- Working memory -- Network neuroscience; Neuropsychology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Neuropsychologie -- Périodiques; Neuropsychology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107341
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0028-3932

Abstract

Abstract: Endel Tulving's proposal that episodic memory is distinct from other memory systems like semantic memory remains an extremely influential idea in cognitive neuroscience research. As originally suggested by Tulving, episodic memory involves three key components that differentiate it from all other memory systems: spatiotemporal binding, mental time travel, and autonoetic consciousness. Here, we focus on the idea of spatiotemporal binding in episodic memory and, in particular, how consideration of the precision of spatiotemporal context helps expand our understanding of episodic memory. Precision also helps shed light on another key issue in cognitive neuroscience, the role of the hippocampus outside of episodic memory in perception, attention, and working memory. By considering precision alongside item-context bindings, we attempt to shed new light on both the nature of how we represent context and what roles the hippocampus plays in episodic memory and beyond. Highlights: Precision as involving resolution and dimensionality (complexity). Precision as important to context and item-context binding. Context as involving drifts (time) and shifts (space). Representational precision helps explains hippocampal role outside of episodic memory. The hippocampus involved in networks involving for both perceptual representation and binding.