A team of scientists has discovered that cells from other parts of the body also store memories, challenging our long-held belief that brain cells are the only ones capable of this function. According to lead author Nikolay V. Kukushkin of New York University, learning and memory are not exclusive to brains and brain cells.
The research aimed to understand if non-brain cells can aid in memory by utilizing a well-established neurological property called the massed-spaced effect. This phenomenon shows that information is retained better when studied in spaced intervals rather than in a single intensive session.
To replicate learning, scientists exposed two types of human cells – one from nerve tissue and one from kidney tissue – to different patterns of chemical signals. The results showed that these non-brain cells activated a “memory gene” similar to brain cells, which is triggered when detecting patterns in information and restructures connections to form memories.
The engineered cells were made to produce a glowing protein, allowing researchers to monitor the memory process. When pulses of neurotransmitters were delivered in spaced intervals, the cells turned on the “memory gene” more strongly and for longer periods than when the treatment was applied all at once.
This study reveals that the massed-spaced effect is not unique to brain cells but might be a fundamental property of all cells. The findings offer new insights into memory and could lead to enhanced learning methods and treatments for memory-related afflictions.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-11-memories-brain-human-cell.html