Scientists have discovered a crucial pathway that connects brain cell activity to gene activation responsible for learning and memory. Researchers used advanced microscopy techniques to study how neurons communicate over long distances, solving the mystery of how signals from distant synapses reach the nucleus to trigger gene expression.
The study highlights a key mechanism that links neuron-to-neuron communication to gene expression changes necessary for learning and memory. This discovery provides important insights into molecular processes that support memory formation.
According to Dr. Mark Dell’Acqua, professor of pharmacology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, “These findings illuminate a critical mechanism that connects local synaptic activity to broader gene expression changes necessary for learning and memory.” The study focuses on the cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB), a transcription factor known to regulate genes vital for neuronal communication.
The researchers found that calcium signals rapidly communicate from synapses in remote dendrite branches to the nucleus in the neuron cell body. This relay mechanism involves the activation of receptors and ion channels generating these calcium signals, shedding light on the molecular processes supporting learning and memory.
This breakthrough research has potential therapeutic applications for cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Dell’Acqua hopes that this study will enable future research to better understand how different disease states affect this pathway and identify potential targets for interventions.
Source: https://scitechdaily.com/how-your-brains-hidden-messaging-system-powers-learning