Neuro Epilepsy Lecture Series: Memory in Real Time: Naturalistic Memory Behavior Captures Neural Dynamics
The 2025-2026 Neuro Epilepsy Lecture Series covers hot topics in basic and clinical epilepsy research. Speakers will include distinguished leaders and rising stars, with the goal of bridging basic research and clinical perspectives.
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Memory in Real Time: Naturalistic Memory Behavior Captures Neural Dynamics
Patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) frequently report everyday memory deficits which can be missed by traditional neuropsychological tests. How can subtle disruptions in episodic memory be captured in relationship to ongoing neural activity? Our lab embraces naturalistic, continuous memory behavior such as spoken recall and eye movements during visual search to reveal interactions between physiological (e.g. theta-gamma, sharp wave ripples) and pathological (e.g. interictal epileptiform discharges) events. In spoken recall tasks, TLE patients demonstrate specific deficits in retrieval, sequence memory, and remote biographical knowledge. In visual association memory tasks, TLE patients demonstrate inefficient visual search and retrieval strategies. Ongoing micro鈥搈acro recordings further show that visual saccades dynamically modulate hippocampal theta and unit firing during retrieval. In this talk, I will highlight a few of the behavioral paradigms my lab is developing to discover new insights into the cognitive phenotype of episodic memory function in patients, and their relationship to normal and pathological hippocampal activity. Together, this work argues that naturalistic, continuous memory measures鈥攍inked directly to hippocampal physiology鈥攐ffer a powerful framework to detect subtle cognitive decline in epilepsy and other memory impaired populations.
Anli Liu
Associate Professor of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Anli Liu, MD, is a neurologist at NYU Langone Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and the Center for Cognitive Neurology, where she specializes in the treatment of epilepsy and memory disorders. Drawing on nearly two decades of training and clinical experience, she diagnoses and manages seizures while also addressing memory impairments associated with conditions such as dementia. She brings extensive expertise in both patient care and neuroscience research, driven by a deep commitment to understanding how brain health shapes every aspect of life.
Dr. Liu鈥檚 approach to care emphasizes proactive patient engagement, ensuring that individuals are well-informed and actively involved in their treatment plans. She prioritizes listening carefully to patients鈥� experiences, recognizing the unique ways neurological conditions affect their lives, and guiding them through their health journeys with clarity and compassion.
Her research focuses on the broader mechanisms of human memory, particularly why memory fails in conditions such as epilepsy and dementia. Her laboratory develops tools for the early diagnosis of memory impairment, investigates the dynamic interplay between normal and disease-related processes that influence memory, and explores strategies to restore memory function. She collaborates closely with experts in basic and cognitive neuroscience, data science, and clinical practice to address these complex challenges. Dr. Liu is also dedicated to mentoring and training the next generation of physicians and scientists, fostering a commitment to inquiry, innovation, and service.
These seminar series are made possible through the sponsorship of:
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