Lila Davachi, Ph.D

Why do we forget? Or more importantly, what determines whether or how we will remember what we encounter? Although we have a good grasp on what kinds of memory failures typically result from various forms of brain damage and even normal aging, we still lack an understanding of how these brain systems, independently and in concert, contribute to normal memory formation. My research program is focused on better understanding the neural and cognitive processes that contribute to memory formation, consolidation and retrieval. In particular, we are interested in elucidating how different forms of memory - forgetting, feelings of familiarity, detailed recollections, emotional memories - may be dependent upon distinct neural mechanisms. In the lab, we use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to literally obtain pictures of your brain forming or retrieving memories (or not!). This approach has yielded invaluable insight into how regions within the human medial temporal lobe may work together during the construction and reconstruction of memories as well as how the MTL interacts with other brain regions during memory formation.