Research summary
To combat memory disorders, we need a better understanding of how memory functions in the healthy brain. As Canada Research Chair in Memory Modulation, Dr. Katherine Duncan is exploring how brain states before an experience can shape the way we form memories.
Duncan has already found that memories form rhythmically—seven times per second—and that neurochemicals (like acetylcholine) may regulate these rhythms. Now, she and her team are using this knowledge to develop a neuroprosthesis that can enhance memory by stimulating the brain at optimal moments. They are also studying how people mentally carve continuous experiences into distinct memories and investigating the role of neurotransmitters and brain activity transitions in this process. By combining intracranial recordings, pharmacology, and functional MRI (which measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow), Duncan’s research is paving the way for new memory-enhancing technologies and potential treatments for memory disorders.