The role of the anterior nuclei of the thalamus in human memory processing

Catherine M Sweeney-Reed; Lars Buentjen; Jürgen Voges; Friedhelm C Schmitt; Tino Zaehle; Julia W Y Kam; Jörn Kaufmann; Hans-Jochen Heinze; Hermann Hinrichs; Robert T Knight; Michael D Rugg

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.046

The role of the anterior nuclei of the thalamus in human memory processing

Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2021 Jul:126:146-158. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.046. Epub 2021 Mar 15.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Neurocybernetics and Rehabilitation, Dept. of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Leipziger Straße 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany. Electronic address: catherine.sweeney-reed@med.ovgu.de.
² Dept. of Stereotactic Neurosurgery, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
³ Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; Dept. of Stereotactic Neurosurgery, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
⁴ Dept. of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
⁵ Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; Dept. of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
⁶ Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California - Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
⁷ Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; Dept. of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; Dept. of Behavioral Neurology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany.
⁸ Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California - Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
⁹ Center for Vital Longevity and School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas, Dallas, TX, USA.

PMID: 33737103
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.046

Abstract

Extensive neuroanatomical connectivity between the anterior thalamic nuclei (ATN) and hippocampus and neocortex renders them well-placed for a role in memory processing, and animal, lesion, and neuroimaging studies support such a notion. The deep location and small size of the ATN have precluded their real-time electrophysiological investigation during human memory processing. However, ATN electrophysiological recordings from patients receiving electrodes implanted for deep brain stimulation for pharmacoresistant focal epilepsy have enabled high temporal resolution study of ATN activity. Theta frequency synchronization of ATN and neocortical oscillations during successful memory encoding, enhanced phase alignment, and coupling between ATN local gamma frequency activity and frontal neocortical and ATN theta oscillations provide evidence of an active role for the ATN in memory encoding, potentially integrating information from widespread neocortical sources. Greater coupling of a broader gamma frequency range with theta oscillations at rest than during memory encoding provides additional support for the hypothesis that the ATN play a role in selecting local, task-relevant high frequency activity associated with particular features of a memory trace.

Keywords: Anterior thalamic nuclei; Dorsomedial thalamic nucleus; Encoding; Gamma; High frequency band; Memory; Phase alignment; Phase–amplitude coupling; Pre-stimulus; Rest; Synchrony; Theta.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Anterior Thalamic Nuclei*
Electroencephalography
Hippocampus
Humans
Memory
Neocortex*