Memory
Recent articles
Stress warps fear memories in multiple ways
Expanding the bounds of a fear memory or linking it to a neutral memory can shape a mouse’s fear response, two new studies show.
Stress warps fear memories in multiple ways
Expanding the bounds of a fear memory or linking it to a neutral memory can shape a mouse’s fear response, two new studies show.
Astrocytes star in memory storage, recall
The cells, long cast as support players in memory research, can activate or disrupt fear memories, according to a new study.
Astrocytes star in memory storage, recall
The cells, long cast as support players in memory research, can activate or disrupt fear memories, according to a new study.
What makes memories last—dynamic ensembles or static synapses?
Teasing out how different subfields conceptualize central terms might help move this long-standing debate forward. I asked eight scientists to weigh in.
What makes memories last—dynamic ensembles or static synapses?
Teasing out how different subfields conceptualize central terms might help move this long-standing debate forward. I asked eight scientists to weigh in.
Timothy Ryan on his pivotal switch from studying particle physics to decoding synaptic transmission
Dissuaded from pursuing theoretical physics and deterred by the “long feedback loop” in experimental physics, the National Academy of Sciences member took inspiration from “polymath” Watt Webb and “visionary” Stephen Smith—and learned to work “completely outside his comfort zone.”
Timothy Ryan on his pivotal switch from studying particle physics to decoding synaptic transmission
Dissuaded from pursuing theoretical physics and deterred by the “long feedback loop” in experimental physics, the National Academy of Sciences member took inspiration from “polymath” Watt Webb and “visionary” Stephen Smith—and learned to work “completely outside his comfort zone.”
This paper changed my life: ‘Selective erasure of a fear memory’ from the Josselyn Lab
This groundbreaking 2009 paper set a foundation for the types of memories researchers could manipulate and inspired my own approach to science.
This paper changed my life: ‘Selective erasure of a fear memory’ from the Josselyn Lab
This groundbreaking 2009 paper set a foundation for the types of memories researchers could manipulate and inspired my own approach to science.
Persistent protein pairing enables memories to last
The complex of two memory proteins, rather than the individual molecules acting independently, underlie month-long memories in mice, a new study suggests.
Persistent protein pairing enables memories to last
The complex of two memory proteins, rather than the individual molecules acting independently, underlie month-long memories in mice, a new study suggests.
How to teach this paper: ‘Behavioral time scale synaptic plasticity underlies CA1 place fields,’ by Bittner and Milstein et al. (2017)
Katie Bittner, Aaron Milstein and their colleagues found that cellular learning can happen over longer timescales than Hebb’s rule predicts. How long should we wait to teach students about this phenomenon?
How to teach this paper: ‘Behavioral time scale synaptic plasticity underlies CA1 place fields,’ by Bittner and Milstein et al. (2017)
Katie Bittner, Aaron Milstein and their colleagues found that cellular learning can happen over longer timescales than Hebb’s rule predicts. How long should we wait to teach students about this phenomenon?
What, if anything, makes mood fundamentally different from memory?
To better understand mood disorders—and to develop more effective treatments—should we target the brain, the mind, the environment or all three?
What, if anything, makes mood fundamentally different from memory?
To better understand mood disorders—and to develop more effective treatments—should we target the brain, the mind, the environment or all three?
‘It must be something I ate’ is hard-wired into the brain
Feeling sick reactivates “novel flavor” neurons, according to a new study in mice, and points to a dedicated circuit for learning to avoid unsafe food.
‘It must be something I ate’ is hard-wired into the brain
Feeling sick reactivates “novel flavor” neurons, according to a new study in mice, and points to a dedicated circuit for learning to avoid unsafe food.
Neurons making memories shush their neighbors
When neurons strengthen their synapses, they “infect” surrounding cells with a virus-like protein to weaken those cells’ excitatory connections, according to a new preprint.
Neurons making memories shush their neighbors
When neurons strengthen their synapses, they “infect” surrounding cells with a virus-like protein to weaken those cells’ excitatory connections, according to a new preprint.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Autism prevalence increasing in children, adults, according to electronic medical records
The uptick from 2011 to 2022 in the United States underscores a need for more services and research, the investigators say.
Autism prevalence increasing in children, adults, according to electronic medical records
The uptick from 2011 to 2022 in the United States underscores a need for more services and research, the investigators say.
Immune cell interlopers breach—and repair—brain barrier in mice
The choroid plexus, the protective network of blood vessels and epithelial cells that line the brain’s ventricles, recruits neutrophils and macrophages during inflammation, a new study shows.
Immune cell interlopers breach—and repair—brain barrier in mice
The choroid plexus, the protective network of blood vessels and epithelial cells that line the brain’s ventricles, recruits neutrophils and macrophages during inflammation, a new study shows.
Expanding set of viral tools targets almost any brain cell type
Harmless viruses that encase short noncoding DNA elements called enhancers enable cell-type-specific gene delivery across the central nervous system in rodents and primates.
Expanding set of viral tools targets almost any brain cell type
Harmless viruses that encase short noncoding DNA elements called enhancers enable cell-type-specific gene delivery across the central nervous system in rodents and primates.