Saving precious memories: Experts talk brain breakthroughs [Live]

Got burning questions about how memories are made and stored in the brain? You are in luck: Two prominent neuroscientists are taking questions from the public about memory and the brain on Google Chat today and you can watch it live, here.

The hangout will run from 11:30 a.m. to noon PDT on Thursday.

The scientists will discuss recent discoveries that show memories aren’t formed and permanently lodged in just one part of the brain, but rather rely on an extensive network of pathways throughout different regions of the brain. They will also discuss research that shows the fundamental role that the imprinting of place plays on how we remember major moments in our lives.

These findings could help scientists discover new ways to help Alzheimer’s patients, enhance learning, and guard against memory loss as we age.

The hangout will feature Bradford Dickerson, an associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, who studies the role of different brain regions in normal human memory, and how the brain is effected by disease.

Mayank Mehta, a professor of neurophysics at the Brain Research Institute at UCLA, will also answer questions. His research focuses on how the brain learns and remembers how to navigate unfamiliar environments.

The Google Chat is sponsored by the Kavli Foundation, which has joined with other private foundations to help fund President Obama’s ambitious BRAIN initiative to create a complete map of the human brain.

You can submit questions before the event, and during, via Twitter using #KavliNeuro, or you can email your questions to info@kavlifoundation.org.