Japanese scientists from the National Institute of Physiological Sciences have discovered that memories of unpleasant and fear-inducing events cause physiological changes in the brain. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Nature Communication.
Previous research has shown that the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) is critical in retrieving fear memories in rodents. However, the way these experiences are encoded and remembered is not fully understood.
“dmPFC exhibits specific neural activation and synchronization during fear memory retrieval, triggering fear responses such as freezing and slowing of heart rate,” explained Masakazu Agetsuma, lead author of the study.
The research team used longitudinal two-photon imaging and various computational neuroscience techniques to determine how neural activity changes in the prefrontal cortex of mice.
Scientists have found that in response to fear, the brain creates special neural connections to store this information.
This discovery will aid further research into neurological changes, learning and memory.
Previous scientists I learnedthat commonly used pesticides harm adolescents’ memory.