Course Description

Presenter:  Dr. Stuart Zola

Everyday memory allows us to consciously recall the facts and events of our lives – a conversation we had a few hours ago, a phone conversation from yesterday, or a vacation we took years ago. But did you know that we all have another kind of memory ability? Habit memory - although we use it a lot, we are mostly unaware of it. Yep, we behave non-consciously more times a day than you can imagine! Habit memory has been one of the most important discoveries for understanding how the brain works. It is often spared in Alzheimer’s disease, even on the background of severely impaired everyday memory. In this highly interactive talk, we’ll see how quickly you forget everyday memory (you are going to be surprised!), and how our habit system might be better than our everyday memory for retaining some kinds of information.

Bio: 

Stuart Zola has had a continuing and extremely productive career and successful research program investigating the neurological foundation of memory and memory impairment. His work has been at the cutting edge of efforts to understand how memory is organized in the brain, and he has made increasingly important contributions to understanding memory functions. His work on animal models of human amnesia, much of it carried out with VA grants and support, led to the identification of a neural system in the medial temporal lobe of the brain that is critical for memory function, and he was a pioneer in support of the development of a transgenic animal model of Huntington’s Disease in nonhuman primates.

Dr. Zola is also internationally known and respected for his many roles in leadership, including Director of the Graduate Neuroscience Program at the University of California, San Diego, Director of the Yerkes National Primate Research Center at Emory University, Co-Director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Emory, Senior Research Career Scientist and Deputy Associate Chief of Staff for Research at the Atlanta VA Medical Center, and most recently as the Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at Emory University.

Dr. Zola co-founded NeuroTrack Technologies, Inc., a company started at Emory University and now located in Redwood City, CA., focused on digital phenotyping for early detection of cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease. He is the President and CEO of Quiet Developments, LLC, a leadership advisory company. Most recently, he has co-founded a third company, Map Habit, Inc., focused on neurocognitive support for individuals with memory impairment, using visual maps to help guide them through their schedules of daily activities. He is a sought-after speaker and Master of Ceremonies, artfully combining his natural sense of humor and social acumen, his working knowledge of science, and his favorite hobby, sleight-of-hand magic.