Research Projects

The brain stores new information in the form of short-term and long-term memories (LTM), which can be identified at different time intervals. Behavioral Tagging (BT) is a mechanism for LTM formation, involving the setting of a learning tag and the synthesis of plasticity-related proteins (PRPs). However, there is limited literature on the aspect of long time intervals for LTM consolidation using the BT model of learning and memory. The development of in vivo electrophysiology methods has provided a significant tool to decipher the complex nature of memory traces in the brain. Bio-signal processing of electrophysiological data will be a novel practice to imbibe the expertise of bio-engineering in the research of memory consolidation mechanisms. The proposed project aims to explore the dynamics of plasticity-related proteins and behavioral tags for identifying memory milestones in the BT model of learning and memory. The biological data will consist of animal experimentation with neurobehavioral tasks according to the BT paradigm, while the electrophysiological data will be processed using bio-signal processing tools through MATLAB programming. The integrated model will provide new insights into the cascade of memory formation, with the advantage of illustrating the functional context of memory formation and consolidation in a transparent manner. Simulations leading to computational biomarkers will help identify other plasticity-related proteins involved in the memory consolidation mechanism. The research outcomes will form a strong base for clinical studies in learning and memory, as well as for research on neurodegenerative disorders causing memory impairment, such as dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, and Parkinson's Disease.