How human brain makes memories and store it?
Manipulating specific memory copies, timing could influence how we remember
(Web Desk) - A recent study by Professor Flavio Donato and his research team at the Biozentrum, University of Basel, has uncovered intriguing insights into how the brain stores and modifies memories over time.
Using mouse models, the researchers explored the role of the hippocampus—a key brain region involved in memory formation.
Discovered that it manages a single memory event through multiple parallel copies, distributed across various neuron groups developed at different stages of embryonic development.
The study reveals that neurons born early in development are crucial for the long-term retention of memories. Initially, these early-born neurons produce weak memory traces that strengthen over time.
Conversely, memory copies formed by neurons that emerge later are initially strong but tend to diminish as time progresses. Neurons developed between these early and late stages contribute to more stable memory representations.
The research highlights that the choice of which memory copy to use can impact the ease with which memories can be altered or updated.
Memories associated with late-born neurons, which are more transient, can be more readily modified, facilitating the integration of new information shortly after an event.
First author Vilde Kveim said, “How dynamically memories are stored in the brain is proof of the brain’s plasticity, which underpins its enormous memory capacity.”
“The challenge the brain faces with memory is quite impressive. On one hand, we must remember what happened in the past to help us make sense of the world we live in.
On the other, it needs to adapt to changes happening all around us, and so must our memories, to help us make appropriate choices for our future”, says Flavio Donato.
The study’s findings suggest that manipulating specific memory copies and their timing could significantly influence how we remember, modify, and utilise our memories.
This research paves the way for potential advancements in managing and enhancing memory functions.
