Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have illuminated how memories are stored in the human brain, detailing a mechanism that hinges on specific brain cells known as engrams. The findings appear in a high-profile biomedical journal.
The study zeroed in on engram cells, examining two distinct groups associated with separate memories. By tagging these cell groups using advanced genetic techniques, the team observed how new neural connections form between engrams as learning unfolds.
Employing optogenetics — a method that uses light to control the activity of brain cells — scientists demonstrated that these newly created connections play a crucial role in learning. The work also pinpointed a molecular mechanism that is coordinated by a particular protein responsible for regulating communication between engrams at synapses.
Engram memory cells are clusters of neurons that become configured to encode and retain information when activated by specific experiences. Reactivating these blocks can recall the associated events. The core question addressed by the researchers is how engrams store meaningful information about the world we experience.
The results provide direct evidence that changes in synaptic connections between engram cells may underlie memory storage in the brain.
Earlier work in neuroscience has explored how hormones influence hunger and brain activity, hinting at the broad chemical and electrical networks that shape memory and behavior. (Source: Current Biology)