⇧ [VIDÉO] You might also like this partner content
In the mysteries of memory, it seems logical that brain cells are the only ones responsible for preserving memories. Each moment, each experience, is woven by a neural network ready to activate according to reminiscences. However, a study carried out by American researchers surprisingly reveals that brain cells are not the only ones to have precise memorization capabilities. Certain non-brain cells, scattered in various body regions, would also be capable of this feat. This discovery opens up new perspectives both for the treatment of certain neurological conditions and for the improvement of learning abilities.
Within the human brain, memorization revolves around three distinct stages. Encoding, the first phase, consists of processing and organizing information for easy assimilation. Then comes consolidation, orchestrated by the hippocampus, where the moments experienced turn into lasting memories. Finally, during retrieval, memory is activated to revive an event or information.
This process leaves memory traces in the brain, called “engrams”. Traditionally, in neurophysiology, neurons are considered the only cells capable of activating a memory gene. However, a team from New York University, led by Professor Nikolay V. Kukushkin, dared to explore the idea that other cells could also be involved in memorization.
To do this, the team relied on the spacing effect, a concept well anchored in neuroscience, arguing that spaced study intervals optimize memory retention. As part of their research, published in the journal Nature
CommunicationsKukushkin and colleagues replicated the chemical learning process in the laboratory. They exposed two types of non-brain human cells, from kidney and nerve tissue, to specific chemical signals, analogous to those received by brain cells during learning.
The objective was to examine the reaction of these cells to repeated stimulations spaced over time. The results showed that non-brain cells also activated a memory gene. “ Learning and memory are usually associated with the brain and brain cells, but our study demonstrates that other cells in the body can also learn and form memories “Kukushkin said in a statement.
Towards an in-depth exploration of the memory process in non-brain cells
To understand how these cells activate a memory gene, Kukushkin and his colleagues modified them so that they produced a light protein, thus making it possible to detect the activation of the gene. The results of this second experiment showed that the modified cells could distinguish between repeated and spaced, or continuous, chemical pulses.
See also
The researchers found that the memory gene was activated more intensely when the pulses were spaced apart. “
This illustrates the spaced mass effect in action. This suggests that the ability to learn from spaced repetitions is not exclusive to brain cells, but could be a fundamental property of all cells “, advance Kukushkin.
According to the research team, this study opens new perspectives for research on memory and certain neurological pathologies. “ She suggests that in the future we will need to treat our bodies more like a brain, for example, by considering what our pancreas remembers from our past meals to maintain healthy blood glucose levels or by taking into account what a cancer cell remembers chemotherapy », concludes Kukushkin.
Source : Nature Communications
Related News :