Vishnu “Deepu” Murty
Adaptive Memory Lab
Department of Psychology
Temple University

Threat-related arousal biases the structure and utility of episodic memory

Memories of our past are not veridical accounts of the target event. Rather, an individual’s affective state can bias memory towards the most salient feature of the event. These types of memory distortions are especially true in the context of threat, where sympathetic arousal and associated engagement of noradrenaline systems can influence downstream medial temporal lobe engagement. In this talk, I will present a series of neuroimaging and behavioral studies characterizing how threat-related arousal biases memory representations. I will begin this talk with a series of laboratory-based studies that provide the foundation for a model of how imperative threat influences memory. I will then test core tenants of this model in the context of characterizing (1) symptom profiles in trauma-exposed populations, (2) autobiographical memory for a real-life threatening experience and (3) factors that change the communication of threatening events.

Pizza will be served. Please bring your own beverage!