Our research aim is to understand how simple sensory information is encoded, consolidated and maintained in the cortex and elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying memory formation and consolidation in the mammalian brain. Since our research is inherently multi-disciplinary, we combine research approaches from the field of biology, as well as psychology, integrating data ranging from the molecular to whole animal level. In our laboratory we employ state of the art equipment (e.g., confocal microscope, real-time PCR, electrophysiology, biochemistry and molecular biology), as well as a broad spectrum of techniques both in vitro and in vivo for the study of normal and abnormal cognitive function in behaving animals. Following recent results regarding the role of translation regulation in normal learning processes, we test the hypothesis that mal-function of similar biochemical pathways underlies cognitive dysfunction and sporadic Alzheimer's disease.