This talk is part of a Four-Part Series on How the Brain Learns and Remembers.

The neural mechanisms that underlie the acquisition and retention of memories in the long-term are mysterious. For the past 70 years, Neuroscientists have been uncovering the processes by which memories are stored, retrieved and lost, yet much remains to be discovered. The ability to learn and recall or retrieve information at a later time (memory) is widely studied in various areas of neuroscience. Memory is a complex process that relies on interactions between many distinct parts of the brain. In order to fully understand memory at the neural level, researchers must cumulate evidence from human, animal, and other model systems in order to make in-roads into the basic mechanisms through which memory works. Humans are extremely dependent on memory for survival as we are dependent on our ability to identify and remember a wide range of material in order to learn and function. As such, the purpose of this series will be to present the basic way which memories are formed in the brain and how we can facilitate memory storage in an effort to succeed in academics and beyond.

Dr. Holahan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience
at Carleton University and has been passionately studying the brain for 20
years. His research interests include brain development, memory, addiction and
concussions. He has taught numerous lecture and seminar courses over the past
6 years on the complex functions of the brain, the ever-so popular topic of drugs
and behavior and a highly relevant course on brain diseases as well as a number of
presentations on concussions to the public.

The next talk is on Friday April 4.
How We Can Improve Memory

The Informed2Learn initiative @ Carleton is a collaboration between the Library and the Discovery Centre. It aims to tap into the knowledge and research on campus and elsewhere to look at ways we can learn about learning.

The initiative is about:
developing skills for professional and lifelong learning
networking and learning collaboratively at a multidisciplinary level
understanding the processes that allow us to create and innovate at school, work and in everyday life.