Hippocampal theta oscillations
MSc thesis project on shared and distinct neural mechanisms underlying memory and language retrieval
Overview
This project will be conducted as my MSc thesis project from September 2026 to June 2027, under the supervision of Dr. Britta Westner. It investigates the role of hippocampal theta oscillations in episodic memory and word retrieval.
At first glance, episodic memory retrieval and word retrieval appear to belong to separate cognitive domains. Episodic memory retrieval involves recovering information from a previous event or context, whereas word retrieval involves accessing stored lexical, semantic, and phonological representations. However, both processes are fundamentally cue-driven: a stimulus triggers the retrieval of stored information through associative links.
This project asks whether these two forms of retrieval rely on shared hippocampal theta dynamics. Because the hippocampus is a deep medial temporal lobe structure, direct measurement of its oscillatory activity is difficult with scalp EEG. Intracranial EEG therefore provides a unique opportunity to examine hippocampal theta activity with high temporal and spatial specificity.
By comparing episodic memory and word retrieval within a shared electrophysiological framework, this project aims to clarify how memory-related neural mechanisms may contribute to language processing, and how language and memory interact during retrieval.
References
Piai, V., Anderson, K. L., Lin, J. J., Dewar, C., Parvizi, J., Dronkers, N. F., & Knight, R. T. (2016). Direct brain recordings reveal hippocampal rhythm underpinnings of language processing. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(40), 11366-11371.
Westner, B. U., Luo, Y., & Piai, V. (2026). Shared and distinct oscillatory fingerprints underlying episodic memory and word retrieval. bioRxiv, 2026-04.