Our research program uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study the neural structures associated acquiring, storing, and retrieving memories. The program concentrates on three memory domains. The first domain focuses on semantic memory, the part of long-term memory composed of general information, such as facts, ideas, and the meaning of objects and words. We are particularly interested in characterizing the neural substrate mediating object and word meaning and its role in object perception. We are also interested in understanding how abstract forms of knowledge, such as knowledge of social interactions, are represented. The second domain focuses on repetition priming, a form of implicit learning not dependent on conscious retrieval of prior events. These studies concentrate on characterizing changes in neural activity associated with perceptual skill learning to provide a model system for studying cortical plasticity. The third domain, episodic memory, is an explicit form of memory that involves conscious recollection of a specific past experience. These studies concentrate on identifying the brain structures unique to this form information retrieval.
Section on Cognitive Neuropsychology Website: http://lbcnimh.nih.gov/martin.html