Researchers at the University of Basel have discovered that memories are stored in multiple parallel copies, which are preserved for varying durations, modified to certain degrees, and sometimes deleted over time. This finding sheds light on how the brain regulates memory dynamics and adaptability.
The study, published in Science, reveals that a single event is stored in parallel memory copies among at least three different groups of neurons in the hippocampus, responsible for learning from experience. These memory copies come and go, changing with time, with early-born neurons responsible for long-term persistence, middle-ground neurons creating more stable copies, and late-born neurons storing memories that can be modified and rewritten.
The researchers found that which copy is used might be linked to how easy it is to change a memory or create a new one. Memories stored shortly after acquisition by late-born neurons can be modified, while those stored long-term by early-born neurons are less malleable.
This study demonstrates the brain’s incredible plasticity and its ability to adapt to changing circumstances. The researchers hope that understanding how memories are encoded and modified might help soften pathologically intrusive memories or bring back lost ones in the future.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-08-brain-parallel-memory-reveals.html