A conversation on navigation and memory with Richard Morris, a renowned neuroscientist famous for his groundbreaking work on memory and the development of the famous Morris Water Maze. Andrea's research into the early years of hippocampus/navigation research illuminates Morris's early career and interactions with notable scientists like John O'Keefe and Lynn Nadel, touching on previous discussions about The Hippocampus as a Cognitive Map and topics including place cells, longterm potentiation, and the hippocampal role in spatial memory and learning. Discover the fascinating trajectory of Morris's career from Sussex University to St. Andrews, and his contributions towards various aspects of memory, research including Alzheimer's research. Learn how modern techniques like calcium imaging and optogenetics are pushing the boundaries of our understanding of memory and cognition.

00:00 Introduction and Greetings
00:06 Early Academic Journey and Influences
01:04 Meeting John O'Keefe and Lynne Nadel
02:10 Developing Interest in Place Cells
03:43 The Concept of Place and Memory
05:34 Personal Anecdotes on Place
10:03 Transition to St. Andrews and Career Shift
13:34 The Birth of the Morris Water Maze
16:18 Impact and Recognition of the Morris Water Maze
22:51 Exploring Long-Term Potentiation
29:41 Collaborations and Further Research
31:45 The Importance of Face-to-Face Meetings
32:42 The Journey of a Young Couple in Neuroscience
34:19 Discovering Grid Cells and Winning the Nobel Prize
35:51 The Role of Place Cells in Navigation and Memory
44:23 Advancements in Recording Techniques
49:29 Exploring Rat Cognition and Memory
56:07 Translational Work and Alzheimer's Research
59:15 Concluding Thoughts and Future Directions

#navigation #hippocampus #neuroscience #memory #richardmorris #andreahiott #loveandphilosophy

Developments of a water-maze procedure for studying spatial learning in the rat:

The beginnings of neuroscience from the NYC perspective, with John Kubie (Downstate, NYC), including the early days of Downstate's Hippocampus Group (incl. Ranck, Muller, Kubie, Fenton), finding head direction cells with James Ranck and John's amazing career of work in memory and navigation since. Hippocampus research conversation. Slides can be seen at: https://loveandphilosophy.com/beyond-...

Neuroscientist John Kubie and philosopher Andrea Hiott discuss the development of cognitive neuroscience, emphasizing the discovery of place cells and their critical role in spatial navigation and memory. It explores the conversations between various experts on their journey from psychology and biology to groundbreaking neuroscience discoveries. Topics include the intricate roles of place cells, head direction cells, grid cells, and border cells in the brain's navigation system, and how these discoveries have been crucial in understanding how animals, including humans, navigate and remember environments. The script also examines the dual-layer nature of memory, the hippocampus' function in memory consolidation, and the broader implications for understanding consciousness and self. Furthermore, it highlights the challenges in pioneering neuroscience, the impact of technological advancements, and explores the continuity between basic navigational instincts and complex cognitive processes, offering a comprehensive overview of the field's current state and its future directions.

#hippocampus #neuroscience #history #downstate #johnkubie #andreahiott

00:42 The Journey into Neuroscience: From Snakes to Smell
02:55 Exploring the Vomeronasal System in Snakes
09:31 A Dive into Comparative Neuroanatomy and Early Discoveries
13:07 Advancements in Recording Techniques and the Evolution of Neuroscience
25:56 The Fascinating World of Place Cells and Cognitive Maps
32:36 The Cognitive Map Theory: A Revolutionary Idea in Neuroscience
36:45 Unraveling the Mystery of Place Cells and Remapping
38:23 Exploring the Significance of Context in Spatial Memory
39:21 The Intersection of Spatial and Episodic Memory
43:38 Discovering Head Direction Cells: A New Dimension of Navigation
52:05 Expanding the GPS of the Brain: Grid Cells and Beyond
01:04:49 The Technological Evolution of Studying Spatial Firing

Could we have a unified theory of the hippocampus? A clip from Brain GPT discussion in the episode with UCL Brad Love: • Brain GPT & Rethinking Neuroscience w...
Here the spotlight is on the hippocampus and its roles in memory, navigation, and knowledge acquisition. Brad has built models that might show navigation and memory as interconnected aspects of a general learning system that is not dependent on giving neurons specific functional names, or at least not only one name.

The discussion delves into the historical perspective of the hippocampus being studied primarily for memory, and the evolution of understanding its functions in navigation through the discovery of place cells, grid cells, and border cells. Brad emphasizes the potential oversimplification in neuroscience of labeling and categorizing functions within the brain and advocates for a broader, more integrated approach to understanding brain functions, challenging the traditional 'Eureka' moments of discovering new cell types like 'Jennifer Aniston cells'. Instead, we might think of there being an underlying mechanisms of the hippocampus and the brain's learning processes that is named differently according to context and task. The script culminates in a call for nuanced scientific inquiry that avoids oversimplification by appreciating the brain's complexity and its capacity for multifaceted functions and adaptability.

#models #neuroscience #function #learning #hippocampus #memory #navigation

00:00 Exploring Generalization in Neuroscience
00:22 The Multifaceted Role of the Hippocampus
01:31 Integrating Memory, Navigation, and More
01:47 A Unified Theory of Learning and Representation
05:30 Challenging Traditional Neuroscience Labels
06:24 The Scientific Value of Identifying Cell Types
09:42 Reimagining Neuroscience: Beyond Discovery
11:42 The Importance of Context in Neuroscience Research