Of the cognitive functions that humans are endowed with, memory is one of the most critical. But, memory is not a unitary function. Rather, a great deal of research indicates that there are explicit and implicit forms of memory, with each of these comprised of subcategories. Via explicit recollection, for example, we are able to reconstruct our personal, autobiographical histories, consciously traveling back in time to retrieve previously experienced episodes. Via implicit memories, on the other hand, we are able to learn to perform a great number of procedural tasks without having to consciously retrieve the previous learning episodes each time the task is performed. Tasks such as bicycle riding, and playing a musical instrument fall into this latter category. Several studies at the CEPL are directed at understanding better these different forms of memory and the changes that they undergo across the life span.
Memory Projects
Attention can be viewed as a process that brings relevant events into our conscious experience, thus enabling us to adapt and survive in our ever changing environment. Our research focuses on understanding the cognitive processes associated with auditory pre-attentional processing and selective attention and their neural correlates. We are especially interested in how these processes change with aging and Alzheimer's Disease.
Another aspect of our research on attentional processes is the brain's response to "novel" events. Novel events are, by definition, events that involuntarily capture attentional focus. The biological significance of this process is that new or unexpected events can be evaluated for their relevance to the recipient, and be incorporated into their schema of the world.
Attention Projects