Fascinating new findings into how clusters of 'brain stars' retain memories has changed what we know about how they're held in our minds. Baylor Colle

'Brain stars' store our memories like a microscopic filing cabinet

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2024-11-11 19:30:04

Fascinating new findings into how clusters of 'brain stars' retain memories has changed what we know about how they're held in our minds.

Baylor College of Medicine researchers have been investigating the star-shaped cells in our brains known as astrocytes, which act as microscopic storage boxes that hold our memories. This unique filing system is then accessed by a specific set of neurons known as engrams, which manage the 'brain stars' by regulating and retrieving those memories on demand.

“The prevailing idea is that the formation and recall of memories only involves neuronal engrams that are activated by certain experiences, and hold and retrieve a memory,” said corresponding author Dr Benjamin Deneen, a professor at Baylor and principal investigator at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute. “Our lab has a long history of studying astrocytes and their interactions with neurons. We have found that these cells interact closely with each other, both physically and functionally, and that this is essential for proper brain function. However, the role of astrocytes in storage and retrieval of memories has not been investigated before."

Because of the incredibly complex nature of the brain, it remains the least understood organ in the human body. Back in 2016, Stanford University researchers highlighted the immense challenges that face neuroscientists – and eight years on, while there has been some progress in understanding various mechanisms, pathways and genetic influence on neurological conditions and diseases, much of it still remains a mystery.

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