Tuesday, January 28, 2014

The Biology of Memory: H.M. Revisited

Most AP Psych textbooks introduce students to the case study of Henry Molaison (known anonymously in the research literature as H.M)., a long-studied patient with anterograde amnesia resulting from a surgery meant to control his epilepsy. Several years ago, when H.M. passed away and donated his brain to science, we watched as researchers sliced his brain into microslices so that his condition could continue to be studied, even after his death.

Now, his entire digitized brain is available for viewing online.

Want more info? This video clip from Nova Science Now details how H.M.'s brain is being studied, and summarizes other research on memory, including the chemistry of long-term potentiation.

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