The period witnesses a convergence of hardware-inspired neuromorphic strategies with microphysiological circuit models to probe learning and memory across multiple scales. Memristive devices and artificial synapses are used to emulate spike-timing-dependent plasticity and dynamic synaptic processes on scalable substrates, while in vitro cortical-thalamic co-cultures and microelectrode array networks enable controlled dissection of connectivity and functional synapses under defined stimulation paradigms. Oscillations, synchronization, and nonlinear dynamics emerge as a unifying framework for neural computation, guiding information processing in cortical and hippocampal circuits, complemented by advanced circuit interrogation tools such as optogenetics, voltage-sensitive imaging, and high-density recording platforms. Historical Significance: This phase solidifies a cohesive paradigm that integrates silicon-based synaptic mimics with living circuits, enabling multi-scale circuit mapping, readout, and perturbation in real time. The demonstrated capacity to recruit dispersed neuronal ensembles via targeted electrical or optical methods, and to correlate neuron-type-specific wiring with functional imaging signals, established foundational approaches for circuit-level modeling and neuromorphic engineering that continued to influence subsequent research in both artificial and biological neural systems.