susumu tonegawa

hippocampal circuits in episodic/spatial memory

i have a difficult time finding things that have no practical value interesting. but since tonegawa is a nobel laureate, the seminar was part of the chancellor's series and the reception food was excellent. especially to my budgeted stomach. thank you angela for your kroger plus card. :)

in all seriousness, he started out his seminar giving the rationale for why he studied memory. he said something to the effect of "memory is important for humans, not just mice". everyone laughed as if it were a joke, but the scientific approach and lack of implications would say otherwise.

hmm, i guess the interesting thing was that even when the trisympatic pathway is obstructed or somewhat damaged, though hippocampus-dependent learning is impaired, through experience, mice improve through familiarization.