creators_name: Wiskott, Laurenz
creators_name: Rasch, Malte J.
creators_name: Kempermann, Gerd
type: preprint
datestamp: 2004-12-30
lastmod: 2011-03-11 08:55:48
metadata_visibility: show
title: What is the functional role of adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus?
subjects: bio-ani-cog
subjects: comp-sci-neural-nets
subjects: bio-theory
full_text_status: public
keywords: hippocampus, dentate gyrus, adult neurogenesis, network model, catastrophic interference
abstract:  The dentate gyrus is part of the hippocampal memory system and special in
 that it generates new neurons throughout life.  Here we discuss the
 question of what the functional role of these new neurons might be.  Our
 hypothesis is that they help the dentate gyrus to avoid the problem of
 catastrophic interference when adapting to new environments.  We assume
 that old neurons are rather stable and preserve an optimal encoding
 learned for known environments while new neurons are plastic to adapt to
 those features that are qualitatively new in a new environment.  A simple
 network simulation demonstrates that adding new plastic neurons is indeed
 a successful strategy for adaptation without catastrophic interference.

date: 2004
date_type: published
refereed: FALSE
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citation:   Wiskott, Laurenz and Rasch, Malte J. and Kempermann, Gerd  (2004) What is the functional role of adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus?  [Preprint]     
document_url: http://cogprints.org/4012/1/wiskottetal2004.pdf
document_url: http://cogprints.org/4012/2/wiskottetal2004.ps