Remember learning to ride a bike or your first trip to the zoo? These childhood memories often stick with us well into adulthood, but have you ever wondered how our brains manage to keep them intact for so long? A groundbreaking new study published in the journal Science Advances may have just cracked the code on long-term memory storage, and it all comes down to a microscopic “glue” in our brains.
The Secret Ingredient: KIBRA
An international team of researchers has discovered that a molecule called KIBRA (short for “kidney and brain expressed protein”) plays a crucial role in forming and maintaining long-term memories. Think of KIBRA as a special kind of glue that helps stick together other important memory-forming molecules in our brains.
“Previous efforts to understand how molecules store long-term memory focused on the individual actions of single molecules,” explains André Fenton, a professor of neural science at New York University and one of the study’s principal investigators, in a media release. “Our study shows how they work together to ensure perpetual memory storage.”
This discovery is more than just a cool science fact – it could have far-reaching implications for understanding and treating memory-related conditions.
“A firmer understanding of how we keep our memories will help guide efforts to illuminate and address memory-related afflictions in the future,” adds Todd Sacktor, a professor at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and one of the study’s principal investigators.
To understand why this discovery is so important, let’s take a quick crash course in how our brains store memories. Our brains are made up of billions of neurons (nerve cells) that communicate with each other through connections called synapses. When we form a memory, certain synapses become stronger while others remain weak. This pattern of strong and weak connections forms a kind of “neural network” that represents the memory.
The problem is that the molecules in our synapses are constantly moving around, wearing out, and being replaced – kind of like how our bodies are always making new skin cells to replace old ones. So, how do our memories stay stable for years or even decades when the very building blocks are constantly changing? That’s where KIBRA comes in.
Methodology
The research team, led by Fenton and Sacktor, conducted their study using laboratory mice. They focused on how KIBRA interacts with another crucial memory molecule called PKMzeta (protein kinase Mzeta). PKMzeta is super important for strengthening synapses in mammals, but it tends to break down after a few days.
Source: https://studyfinds.org/memories-lifetime-memory-glue/