Cited by 52Memory and Neural MechanismsMemory Processes and InfluencesFace Recognition and Perception

Prior knowledge promotes hippocampal separation but cortical assimilation in the left inferior frontal gyrus

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Bein, Oded, Reggev, Niv, Maril, Anat·2020·Nature Communications

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Abstract

An adaptive memory system rarely learns information tabula rasa, but rather builds on prior knowledge to facilitate learning. How prior knowledge influences the neural representation of novel associations remains unknown. Here, participants associated pairs of faces in two conditions: a famous, highly familiar face with a novel face or two novel faces while undergoing fMRI. We examine multivoxel activity patterns corresponding to individual faces before and after learning. The activity patterns representing members of famous-novel pairs becomes separated in the hippocampus, that is, more distinct from one another through learning, in striking contrast to paired novel faces that become similar. In the left inferior frontal gyrus, however, prior knowledge leads to integration, and in a specific direction: the representation of the novel face becomes similar to that of the famous face after learning, suggesting assimilation of new into old memories. We propose that hippocampal separation might resolve interference between existing and newly learned information, allowing cortical assimilation. Thus, associative learning with versus without prior knowledge relies on radically different computations.

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  • The relationship between schemas and distinct elements is bidirectional: by pointing to elements that are in common, schemas bring into focus what is distinct.

    “We view this as a bidirectional process: by pointing to elements that are in common, schemas bring into focus what is distinct 67 .”

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Authors
Bein, O., Reggev, N., & Maril, A.
Affiliations
  • New York University (US)
  • Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (IL)
  • Hebrew University of Jerusalem (IL)
Corresponding author
Maril, Anat
Venue
Nature Communications
Published
2020-09-14
Volume
11
Issue
1
Pages
4590-4590
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3084533846
Cited by
52
References
150
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 1
FWCI
3.49
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Israel Science Foundation (150/16)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
Keywords
prior knowledge, hippocampus, left inferior frontal gyrus, associative learning, face learning, memory interference
MeSH terms
Adult, Facial Asymmetry, Female, Gyrus Cinguli, Hippocampus, Humans, Male, Memory, Nerve Net, Prefrontal Cortex, Young Adult

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