Reports of damage to regions of the brain specialized for processing and storage of distinct types of memory suggest that in some cases neural systems may interact cooperatively and in other cases they may interact competitively during memory storage or recall. To date, the mechanisms of interactions among brain systems specialized for memory have not been tested in the mammalian brain as it functions normally. In the present study, interactions among brain regions of the rodent are tested following local administration of viruses engineered to alter expression of genes required for long-term memory without influencing normal information processing or short-term memory. Thus the current experiments constitute the first empirical tests of interactions among brain regions specialized for memory in the intact brain. The results of these experiments will elucidate neuronal mechanisms and conditions that determine the extent to which distinct brain regions interact during memory formation and consolidation. As such, these experiments have the potential to transform our understanding of how and where memory is stored in the mammalian brain. A primary educational goal of this study is to recruit undergraduate students from groups traditionally underrepresented in the neurosciences to participate in research training internships during the summer months at Tulane University. Students who decide to continue to train in neuroscience research can conduct further studies for course credit in laboratories supervised by the PI and colleagues.
