Flexibility of Functional Neuronal Assemblies Supports Human Memory

Abstract

Summary ParagraphEpisodic memories, or consciously accessible memories of unique events, represent a key aspect of human cognition. Evidence from rodent models suggests that the neural representation of these complex memories requires cooperative firing of groups of neurons on short time scales1, organized by gamma oscillations2, 3. These co-firing groups, termed "neuronal assemblies,"4 represent a fundamental neurophysiological unit supporting memory. Using microelectrode data from neurosurgical patients5, we identify neuronal assemblies in the human MTL and show that they exhibit consistent organization in their firing pattern based on gamma phase information. We connect these properties to memory performance across recording sessions. Finally, we describe how human neuronal assemblies flexibly adjust6-9 over longer time scales. Our findings provide key evidence linking assemblies to human episodic memory for the first time.