Zach Reagh

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Postdoctoral Researcher at UC Davis (PI: Charan Ranganath)

Earned Ph.D. on August 18, 2017

Biosketch:

I graduated with a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. My interests lie the neurobiological basis of memory, and how memory processes change as we age. The specific research I conduct has two main focuses. First, I am interested in the division of labor in the medial temporal lobe as episodic memories are encoded, stored, and retrieved. One such division is object/item vs. spatial/context memory, which recruit somewhat distinct networks in the medial temporal lobes, both converging on the hippocampus. We are presently using this an object vs. spatial memory discrimination task in conjunction with high-resolution structural and functional MRI in young vs. older adults to examine the dynamics between the hippocampus and upstream medial temporal lobe cortices that support episodic memory, and how these dynamics change in neurocognitive aging. Second, I am interested in factors that can influence the fidelity or integrity of items in memory. Toward this end, Dr. Yassa and I have developed and are currently testing Competitive Trace Theory, an account of what happens to episodic memories over time and why.

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Awards and Honors:

Publications:

(Please click the title or contact Zach if you would like to read a paper!)

Abstracts, Posters, and Presentations:

  • Reagh, Z.M. (2014). Episodic memory in the aging human brain. Coalition for National Science Funding Advocacy Day; Washington, DC.
  • Reagh, Z.M. (2014). Extrahippocampal Contributions to Hippocampal Pattern Separation. Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory Spring Meeting; Irvine, CA.
  • Reagh, Z.M. & Yassa, M.A. (2013). A division of labor in the medial temporal lobe: Pattern separation of object identity vs. spatial location. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting; San Diego, CA.
  • Yoncheva, Y.N., Reagh, Z.M., & McCandliss, B.D. (2012). Isolating the ripples of recognition within stimulus-driven SSVEP waves: topographic insights into word and face identity processing. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting; New Orleans, LA.
  • Reagh, Z.M. & Knight, D.C. (2012). Negative, but not Positive Emotional Images Modulate the Startle Response Independent of Conscious Awareness. Ost Undergraduate Research Competition at the University of Alabama at Birmingham; Birmingham, AL.
  • Yoncheva, Y.N., Reagh, Z.M., & McCandliss, B.D. (2011). Isolating the ripples of recognition within stimulus-driven SSVEP waves: topographic insights into word and face identity processing. Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting; Chicago, IL.
  • Reagh, Z.M. & Knight, D.C. (2011). Effect of Perception of Emotional Valence on the Startle Response in Humans. Bevill Conference on Cognition and Cognitive Disorders; Birmingham, AL.
  • Reagh, Z.M. & Knight, D.C. (2011). Effect of Perception of Emotional Valence on the Startle Response in Humans. Pavlovian Society Annual Meeting; Milwaukee, WI.
  • Reagh, Z.M., Yoncheva, Y.N., & McCandliss, B.D. (2011). Steady State Visual Evoked Potentials Reveal Hemispheric Differences for Visual Categories. Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy Poster Session; Vanderbilt University.
  • Reagh, Z.M., Yoncheva, Y.N., & McCandliss, B.D. (2011). Steady State Visual Evoked Potentials Reveal Hemispheric Differences for Visual Categories. Leadership Alliance National Symposium; Greenwich, CT.
  • Reagh, Z.M. & Knight, D.C. (2011). Effect of Perception of Emotional Valence on the Startle Response in Humans. UAB Undergraduate Research Expo; University of Alabama at Birmingham.