Research
Memory & Learning
I am interested in how the brain learns and remembers things. I want to understand the factors that affect memory, such as how novelty, prior knowledge, and curiosity can influence what we remember.
I am also studying ways to improve memory in people with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. I believe that by understanding how memory works, we can develop better treatments for these conditions.
Current Projects:
The Power of What We Already Know:
Have you ever had a ‘lightbulb moment’ when learning something new, all because it reminded you of something you already knew? That’s the magic of ‘schema’, or our mental framework, at play. It is like having a mental jigsaw puzzle where prior knowledge helps to fit in new pieces smoothly. So, if you are a fan of dogs and you hear about a rare breed, chances are you will remember it because you’ve already got a soft spot for our furry friends!
Memory’s Playground – A Minecraft Experiment:
Have you ever played Minecraft? If so, imagine using it as a fun tool to dive deep into the world of memory and learning! Join me as we explore the game’s realms to uncover how our past knowledge shapes our fresh learning experiences. Let the blocks lead the way!
Like Yesterday: Movement, Memory, and Wellbeing
James Hewison and I will be exploring individuals’ personal memories of lived experiences in older adults.
Healthy Ageing & Memory Loss
As we age, changes in our brains naturally occur, affecting how we learn, remember, and process information. Although some degree of memory loss is expected as we get older, it is important to understand that healthy ageing is possible, and certain strategies can help to protect and even enhance our memory.
Our research aims to unravel the complex interplay of factors that contribute to memory decline and to distinguish between normal age-related memory loss and more serious conditions like dementia. By employing advanced neuroimaging techniques, behavioural assessments, and longitudinal studies, we seek to understand the underlying mechanisms of memory loss and to identify strategies that can support cognitive health in older adults.
Unravelling these mysteries will not only improve our understanding of the ageing brain but also pave the way for targeted interventions that can promote healthy cognitive ageing for everyone.
Current Projects:
Ageing Better with an Active Mind
Spatial Navigation
Have you ever noticed how exploring a new city can feel less daunting when you are familiar with the layout of a similar city? Or how learning to navigate new software becomes easier if you have used similar programs in the past? That is your brain tapping into your ‘mental map’ – a handy collection of prior knowledge that helps you navigate the world around you.
Navigating the world around us is a crucial skill, and the ability to learn and remember routes, landmarks, and locations is an essential part of our daily lives.
Interestingly, our pre-existing knowledge—what we already know about the world—plays a significant role in shaping our spatial navigation skills.
Our research delves into the intricate relationship between prior knowledge, or schema, and our capacity to learn and remember spatial information. We explore how our mental frameworks and past experiences influence the way we process new spatial information, affecting our ability to navigate unfamiliar environments.
Using cutting-edge neuroimaging techniques and behavioural experiments, we are investigating the neural and cognitive processes involved in spatial navigation and how prior knowledge shapes them. Unpacking these complexities will shed light on the ways we perceive, remember, and interact with our surroundings, offering insights into human cognition and the brain’s remarkable capacity to create mental maps.
Publications
Tse, D., Privitera, L., Norton, A. C., Gobbo, F., Spooner, P., Takeuchi, T., Martin, S. J., & Morris, R. G. M. (2023). Cell-type-specific optogenetic stimulation of the locus coeruleus induces slow-onset potentiation and enhances everyday memory in rats. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 120 (46)
Gobbo, F., Mitchell-Heggs, R., Tse, D., Al Omrani, M., Spooner, P. A., Schultz, S. R., & Morris, R. G. M. (2022). Neuronal signature of spatial decision-making during navigation by freely moving rats by using calcium imaging. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119 (44) e2212152119.
F Gobbo, R Mitchell-Heggs, Tse D (2022). Changes in brain activity and connectivity as memories age. Cognitive Neuroscience, 1-3.
T Takeuchi, M Tamura, Tse D, Y Kajii, G Fernández, RGM Morris (2022). Brain region networks for the assimilation of new associative memory into a schema. Molecular Brain 15 (1).
Tse D, AC Norton, PA Spooner, RGM Morris (2022). A Behavioural Task Modelling ‘Everyday Memory’ in an Event Arena to Foster Allocentric Representations for Rodents. Journal of Visualized Experiments Feb 3; (180).
Alonso A, van der Meij J., Tse D, Genzel L. (2020). Naïve to expert: Considering the role of previous knowledge in memory. British Neuroscience Advances.
Broadbent N, Lumeij L, Corcoles M, Ayres AI, Ibrahim Z, Masatsugu B, Moreno A, Carames JM, Begg E,Strickland L, Mazidzoglou T, Padanyi A, Munoz M, Takeuchi T, Peter M, Morris RGM and Tse D (2020). A stable home-base promotes allocentric memory representations of episodic-like everyday spatial memory. EJN. ejn.14681
Wang SH, Tse D and Morris RGM (2012) Anterior cingulate cortex in schema assimilation and expression. Learn Mem. 19: 9315-318
Tse D, Takeuchi T, Kakeyma M, Kajii Y, Okuno H, Tohyama C, Bito H and Morris RGM (2011) Schema-Dependent gene activation and Memory Encoding in Neocortex. Science. 333: 891-895
Bethus I, Tse D and Morris RGM (2010) Dopamine and memory: modulation of the persistence of memory for novel hippocampal NMDA receptor-dependent paired associates. J Neurosci. 30, 1610-1618
Tse D, Langston R F, Bethus I, Wood E R, Witter M P and Morris R G M (2008) Does assimilation into schemas involve systems or cellular consolidation? It’s not just time. Neurobiol Learn Mem. 89:361-365
Tse D, Langston R F, Kakeyama M, Bethus I, Spooner P A, Wood E R, Witter M P and Morris R G M (2007) Schemas and memory consolidation. Science, 316, 76-82