New research from NYU Finds that Memories are Not Only Stored in the Brain
By Viola Spada
“Learning and memory are generally associated with brains alone, but our study shows that other cells in the body can learn and form memories, too”
The massed-spaced effect, a well-established neurological property, recognizes how we retain information better when studied in spaced intervals rather than in a singular intense session (like cramming for an exam). This phenomenon was used in the study to better understand whether non-brain cells aid in memory.
By exposing two different types of non-brain human cells (one from kidney tissue and one from nerve tissue) to various chemical signal patterns in an experimental setting, the researchers were able to simulate learning over time. This process is similar to how brain cells are exposed to neurotransmitter patterns when we learn new information. The non-brain cells responded by activating a "memory gene": the same gene that brain cells activate when they recognise a pattern in data and rearrange their connections to create lasting memories.
In order to track memory and learning, the researchers made these non-brain cells produce a luminous protein that showed when the memory gene was active and inactive.
As neurons in our brains can register learning more effectively with breaks rather than cramming all the material in one sitting, the results showed that these cells could distinguish repeated bursts of chemical pulses, mimicking neurotransmitter activity, and prolonged stimulation. To further prove the massed-space effect, the "memory gene" showed stronger and more sustained activation over time when the pulses were delivered at intervals rather than all at once.
According to Kukushkin, a clinical associate professor of life science at NYU Liberal Studies, "It shows that the ability to learn from spaced repetition isn't unique to brain cells, but it might be a fundamental property of all cells." The findings, the researchers add, not only suggest new avenues for memory research, but also suggest possible health benefits.
"This discovery opens new doors for understanding how memory works and could lead to better ways to enhance learning and treat memory problems," says Kukushkin. “At the same time, it suggests that in the future, we will need to treat our body more like the brain”
Work Cited
Devitt, James. “Memories are not only in the brain, new research finds.” ScienceDaily, 8 November 2024, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241107193111.htm. Accessed 12 November 2024.
