Advancing the science of learning, longevity, and memory
Bradley Lega, M.D., Professor of Neurological Surgery, specializes in the surgical treatment of epilepsy and brain tumors, but like many of OBI’s gifted faculty members, his clinical interests dovetail with his research focus of preserving and restoring memory function to patients with brain injuries. His work in episodic memory and hippocampal neurons has the potential to advance the understanding of schizophrenia as it relates to patients’ inability to distinguish memories from hallucinations or delusions.
UT Southwestern is also investing in a new Memory Longevity Program. Attila Losonczy, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Neuroscience and a renowned expert in hippocampal circuit biology, was recruited recently to be the inaugural Director of the program and accelerate research that examines the functional and structural components of neurons and their broader network.
“With this new program, we would like to pursue the science of learning and memory at a molecular and cellular level all the way up to behavior,” Dr. Losonczy said. “By using computational and theoretical neuroscience, we hope to synthesize this information with the work that’s being done by our clinicians and, ultimately, help us understand the complex inner workings of the brain.”