Author Date

2026-03-16

Degree Name

Department

Neuroscience

College

Life Sciences

Defense Date

2026-03-03

Publication Date

2026-03-16

First Faculty Advisor

Trace Stay

First Faculty Reader

Eric Melonakos

Honors Coordinator

Rebekka Matheson

Keywords

Memory Consolidation

Abstract

The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), a cerebellum-dependent reflex that stabilizes gaze during head movement, provides a powerful model for studying motor learning and memory consolidation. The time-dependent process by which short-term memories become stabilized for long-term storage and are gradually redistributed to other brain regions, enabling retention even after damage to the site of early learning. In mice, motor skill memory deficits can be observed as early as four hours post-training, highlighting that systems consolidation varies in timing and extent across reflexes. This thesis examines the time course of motor memory consolidation in the VOR by examining repeated trainings, presented to two cohorts of mice with different spacing between the trainings. I hypothesized that trainings separated by 6 hours would lead to greater memory consolidation than trainings separated by 2 hours, since the latter would still be in the process of stabilizing the initial adaptation. The repeated training consisted of six 5-minute intervals, each separated by 10 seconds. Testing was performed after 24 hours to measure retention. I purposely sought to clarify the process of motor adaptation during this intermediate time window to identify how interventions can be most effectively targeted to enhance learning processes. By manipulating training and feedback protocols within this timeframe, I sought to uncover mechanisms that govern the stabilization and refinement of motor learning, with broader implications for rehabilitation and skill optimization.