A specific memory is stored in many parts of the brain

Neuroscientist Thiraj Roy and his colleagues hope to be able to come up with The most complete and solid evidence to date Arrays are packages of neurons that are protected by physics or chemistry that replace the memory of precision memory, which are interconnected in many areas.

Many parts of the mouse brain are involved in encrypting a specific memory (top). They are also involved in remembering the memory (below) when reactivating.

Photo: MIT / Tonekawa Laboratory

Until now, memory storage has often been associated with the hippocampus, amygdala, or cortex. A century ago, the German evolutionary biologist Richard Semen considered existence Integrated Engram systemsBut due to technical restrictions it cannot be verified.

Map memory

To verify which parts of the brain are involved in memory recall, the MIT team conducted an innovative series of experiments on mice. He analyzed 247 brain parts of rodents that were transferred from their home cage to another cage where they were subjected to small but memorable electric shocks.

In the first group, mice’s neurons were changed to light when they expressed a gene required for memory coding, that is, to store information in memory form.

In the second group, the cells activated by the memory of the electric shock were named luminously. The two groups of rodents were compared with the coordinators of a control group.

Neurons in both groups are activated, either by memory encryption or by shooting memory, which can be seen under a microscope.

By comparing the brains of mice from the two groups, the researchers were able to rule out some areas and establish a map of 117 areas, and have a higher probability of engaging in memory.

Experiments not only revealed significant reversal of embolism in known areas of the hippocampus and amygdala, but also showed reactivation in many structures.Authors write.

Using a computer to count the fluorescent cells in each sample, the researchers created brain-sized maps of areas with significant memory encryption or recall function.

Scientists believe that by storing a single memory in such an elaborate complex neural system, the brain makes memory more efficient and resilient. When multiple memory storage areas are reactivated, they find that the memory or reminder recall is more powerful.

This new knowledge suggests that it can treat memory disorders.

If some memory impairment is due to dysfunction in the hippocampus or cortex, can cells attached to implants in other areas be targeted? Can such manipulation restore some memory functions? Asks Theeraj Roy, co-editor of the study, which was published in the journal Nature Communications (New window) (In English).

This is one of the questions researchers can now explore, as research has revealed a list of places where at least one type of memory is stored in mammalian brains.