Key-value memory in the brain

2025/01/06 by Samuel J. Gershman, Ila Fiete, Gershman, Samuel J. +3 · 5 voices · 8 citations
Computer Science · #Cognitive Science and Mapping #cs.AI #cs.LG #q-bio.NC

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2501.02950

openalex publication_date 2025/01/06 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

Classical models of memory in psychology and neuroscience rely on similarity-based retrieval of stored patterns, where similarity is a function of retrieval cues and the stored patterns. While parsimonious, these models do not allow distinct representations for storage and retrieval, despite their distinct computational demands. Key-value memory systems, in contrast, distinguish representations used for storage (values) and those used for retrieval (keys). This allows key-value memory systems to optimize simultaneously for fidelity in storage and discriminability in retrieval. We review the computational foundations of key-value memory, its role in modern machine learning systems, related ideas from psychology and neuroscience, applications to a number of empirical puzzles, and possible biological implementations.

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• Temporal Context Reinstatement Drives Episodic-Like Order Memory in Long-Context Language Models
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Discussions

• Key-value memory is an important concept in modern machine learning (e.g., transformers). Ila Fiete, Kazuki Irie, and I have written a paper showing how key-value memory provides a way of thinking abo [bsky, 123 points, 3 comments]
• I'm now reading the key-value memory paper from @gershbrain.bsky.social, Ila Fiete, and Kazuki Irie (arxiv.org/abs/2501.02950) and really enjoying it (strong recommend). But, one thing that I think i [bsky, 60 points, 2 comments]
• In particular, barcodes are a plausible neural correlate for the precise slot retrieval mechanism in key-value memory systems (see arxiv.org/abs/2501.02950)! Barcodes provide a content-independent sca [bsky, 2 points, 0 comments]
• Key-Value Memory in the Brain [hn, 2 points, 0 comments]
• Key-Value Memory in the Brain [hn, 2 points, 0 comments]

Related

• Biological learning in key-value memory networks
• Computational models of long term plasticity and memory
• Memory capacity of neural network models
• Neural Storage: A New Paradigm of Elastic Memory
• Neural Computation Without Slots: Steps Towards Biologically Plausible Memory and Attention in Natural and Artificial Intelligence