Where are our memories stored? Science finally reveals the mystery

The brain is responsible for controlling most of the activities in the human body. Its ability to process information is what allows us to learn and store memories. But how are memories formed and where are they stored? Science finally reveals the mystery.

Over the past few decades, neuroscientists have sought to pinpoint the regions of the brain responsible for memory storage.

it is known that HippocampusHey Neocortex From the upper layer of the brain and cerebellum The base of the skull plays a major role in the stocking process.

However, it still needs to be understood and defined molecular structures Responsible for the process of memory and learning.

New study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciencesit is suggested that the memory may be present in nerve cell membranes.

You nervous cells are the basic units of Nervous system. They are differentiated cells that are able to transmit information between themselves, in order to maintain the functions of the body.

Communication between two neurons is carried out through clampsIt is a chemical and electrical process that occurs at the junction between two neurons, an area known as the neuron Synaptic cleft.

According to the new study, It’s in a tangle The process of memory and learning takes place.

during Synapsis There is a connection between two neurons – Presynaptic neuronwhich transmits information, and postsynaptic neuronswho receives the information. Both neurons communicate through a fatty membrane They contain proteins and other vital molecules.

Changes that occur in these two membranes in response to the activity of neurons are called synaptic plasticity.

a synaptic plasticity It plays an essential role in memory and learning as well Some connections between neurons get stronger or weaker, based on live experiences.

Until then, these changes were thought to be related to the different amounts of proteins in the membrane, as well as to the structure of the membrane itself.

a synaptic plasticity It can be classified as short-term plasticity, which lasts between milliseconds and a few minutes, and long-term plasticity, which can last from a few minutes to several hours.

The chemical events that occur during short-term plasticity can eventually lead to long-term plasticity.

This research team hypothesized that the way the brain processes and stores information occurs through long-term changes and hypothesized that this memory storage occurs at a level fatty membrane.

To validate the hypothesis, they exposed a simple model of the lipid membrane of a electrical stimulation Similar to what happens in the brain, in order to bring about long-term changes.

The results showed that the changes were introduced through synaptic plasticity Continue the tested form for at least 24 hoursWithout any additional electrical stimulation.

Furthermore, the lipid membrane model used was devoid of proteins, indicating that the memory storage process is a liability neurotransmitters, not proteins That’s part of it.

“Our finding supports the use of the lipid bilayer as a model for understanding the molecular basis of biological memory,” says JOh KatsarasCorresponding study author, in an article in Ph Conversation.

In addition, this can also serve as a platform for Neural computingwhere the components of computer memory are modeled according to the structure and function of the human brain,” adds Katsaras.

In this sense, the lipid membrane of neurons could be a potential Therapeutic goal To treat various neurological conditions.

Figuring out where and how memory is stored could not only revolutionize the way we understand these processes, but it could also guide us in developing new treatments for diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease that it Alzheimer’s disease.