Roberto Cabeza, Professor

Research Summary:
My laboratory investigates the neural correlates of memory and cognition in young and older adults using fMRI. We have three main lines of research: First, we distinguish the neural correlates of various episodic memory processes. For example, we have compared encoding vs. retrieval, item vs. source memory, recall vs. recognition, true vs. false memory, and emotional vs. nonemotional memory. We are particularly interested in the contribution of prefrontal cortex (PFC) and medial temporal lobe (MTL) subregions and their interactions. Second, we investigate similarities and differences between the neural correlates of episodic memory and other memory and cognitive functions (working, semantic, implicit, and procedural memory; attention; perception, etc.). The main goal of this cross-functional approach is to understand the contributions of brain regions shared by different cognitive functions. Finally, in both episodic memory and cross-function studies, we also examine the effects of healthy and pathological aging. Regarding episodic memory, we have linked processes differentially affected by aging (e.g., item vs. source memory, recall vs. recognition) to the effects of aging on specific PFC and MTL subregions. Regarding cross-function comparisons, we identify age-related changes in activity that are common to various functions. For example, we have found an age-related increase in bilaterality that occurs for many functions (memory, attention, language, perception, and motor) and is associated with functional compensation.

Representative Publications:   (More Publications)

1. Prince, S.E., Daselaar, S. M., Cabeza, R (2005). Neural correlates of relational memory: Successful encoding and retrieval of semantic and perceptual associations. Journal of Neuroscience, 25, 1203-1210.
2. Dolcos, F., LaBar, K.S., & Cabeza, R (2005). Remembering one year later: Role of the amygdala and medial temporal lobe memory system in retrieving emotional memories. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 102, 2626-2631.
3. Dolcos, F., LaBar, K.S., & Cabeza, R. (2004). Interaction between the amygdala and the medial temporal lobe memory system predicts better memory for emotional events. Neuron, 42, 855-863.
4. Cabeza, R., Daselaar, S. M., Dolcos, F., Prince, S. E., Budde, M., & Nyberg, L. (2004). Task-independent vs. task-specific age effects on brain activity during working memory, visual attention, and episodic retrieval.. Cerebral Cortex, 14, 364-375.
5. Daselaar, S., M. Fleck, M, Dobbins, I., Madden, D. J. Cabeza, R. (in press). Effects of healthy aging on hippocampal and rhinal memory functions: An event-related fMRI study. Cerebral Cortex.
6. Cabeza, R., Prince, S.E., Daselaar, S. M., Greenberg, D., Budde, M., Dolcos, F., LaBar, K.S., & Rubin, D.C. (2004). Comparing the neural correlates of autobiographical and episodic memory with a new fMRI paradigm. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 9, 1583-1594.