2023-11-28 07:00:06
How we learn is a complex and fascinating process that neuroscientists have worked to decipher for decades. New research by Dr. Tomás Ryan and his team has shed light on the process of storing memories in the brain, providing a new insight into the formation of memory (Generally speaking, memory is the storage of information. It is also recollection…).
Our brains are dynamic organs, constantly moving and evolving. Each interaction, each experience, each moment experienced is potentially transformative for our neurons. But how do these experiences change our brain cells to allow us to form new memories?
Dr. Clara Ortega-de San Luis, postdoctoral researcher and lead author of the study published in the scientific journal Current Biology, explains: “Memory engram cells are groups of brain cells that, activated by specific experiences, become “modify to integrate and retain information in our brain. Reactivation of these ‘building blocks’ of memories triggers the recall of experiences specifically associated with these cells.”
To better understand how information is stored as engrams in the brain, the team of researchers studied a form of learning in which two similar experiences become linked by the nature of their content. To do this, they used genetic techniques to label two distinct populations of engram cells in the brain, corresponding to two different memories, and then observed how learning manifested through the formation of new connections between these engram cells.
Using optogenetics, a method that allows the activity of brain cells to be controlled with light, they also demonstrated that these new connections were necessary for learning to occur. Thus, they identified a molecular mechanism involving a specific protein (named PSD-95) located in the synapse, regulating connectivity between engram cells.
This study provides direct evidence of changes in synaptic wiring between engram cells, to be considered as a likely mechanism for memory storage in the brain. Dr Ryan, Associate Professor in Trinity’s School of Biochemistry and Immunology, comments: “Understanding the mechanisms cells that enable learning helps us understand not only how we form new memories or modify existing ones, but also advance our knowledge of how the brain works and the mechanisms needed to process thoughts and information.”
These findings open new perspectives in our understanding of how information is encoded in engram cells and how these connections shape brain function, and might potentially lead to innovative strategies for treating memory disorders and improving our cognitive abilities. ‘learning.
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