Oscillations support short latency co-firing of neurons during human episodic memory formation

TY - JOUR

T1 - Oscillations support short latency co-firing of neurons during human episodic memory formation

AU - Roux, Frédéric

AU - Parish, George

AU - Chelvarajah, Ramesh

AU - Rollings, David T

AU - Sawlani, Vijay

AU - Hamer, Hajo

AU - Gollwitzer, Stephanie

AU - Kreiselmeyer, Gernot

AU - Ter Wal, Marije J

AU - Kolibius, Luca

AU - Staresina, Bernhard P

AU - Wimber, Maria

AU - Self, Matthew W

AU - Hanslmayr, Simon

N1 - © 2022, Roux et al.

PY - 2022/11/30

Y1 - 2022/11/30

N2 - Theta and gamma oscillations in the medial temporal lobe are suggested to play a critical role for human memory formation via establishing synchrony in neural assemblies. Arguably, such synchrony facilitates efficient information transfer between neurons and enhances synaptic plasticity, both of which benefit episodic memory formation. However, to date little evidence exists from humans that would provide direct evidence for such a specific role of theta and gamma oscillations for episodic memory formation. Here we investigate how oscillations shape the temporal structure of neural firing during memory formation in the medial temporal lobe. We measured neural firing and local field potentials in human epilepsy patients via micro-wire electrode recordings to analyze whether brain oscillations are related to co-incidences of firing between neurons during successful and unsuccessful encoding of episodic memories. The results show that phase-coupling of neurons to faster theta and gamma oscillations correlates with co-firing at short latencies (~20-30 ms) and occurs during successful memory formation. Phase-coupling at slower oscillations in these same frequency bands, in contrast, correlates with longer co-firing latencies and occurs during memory failure. Thus, our findings suggest that neural oscillations play a role for the synchronization of neural firing in the medial temporal lobe during the encoding of episodic memories.

AB - Theta and gamma oscillations in the medial temporal lobe are suggested to play a critical role for human memory formation via establishing synchrony in neural assemblies. Arguably, such synchrony facilitates efficient information transfer between neurons and enhances synaptic plasticity, both of which benefit episodic memory formation. However, to date little evidence exists from humans that would provide direct evidence for such a specific role of theta and gamma oscillations for episodic memory formation. Here we investigate how oscillations shape the temporal structure of neural firing during memory formation in the medial temporal lobe. We measured neural firing and local field potentials in human epilepsy patients via micro-wire electrode recordings to analyze whether brain oscillations are related to co-incidences of firing between neurons during successful and unsuccessful encoding of episodic memories. The results show that phase-coupling of neurons to faster theta and gamma oscillations correlates with co-firing at short latencies (~20-30 ms) and occurs during successful memory formation. Phase-coupling at slower oscillations in these same frequency bands, in contrast, correlates with longer co-firing latencies and occurs during memory failure. Thus, our findings suggest that neural oscillations play a role for the synchronization of neural firing in the medial temporal lobe during the encoding of episodic memories.

U2 - 10.7554/eLife.78109

DO - 10.7554/eLife.78109

M3 - Article

C2 - 36448671

SN - 2050-084X

VL - 11

JO - eLife

JF - eLife

M1 - e78109

ER -