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When trying to recall something, we instinctively clutch our heads, and when realizing we’ve forgotten our keys at home, we often give our heads a quick pat. But have you ever wondered if memory might exist beyond the brain? While neural cells in our brain are known for managing tasks like thinking, moving, and remembering, recent research by Nikolay Kukushkin from New York University suggests that other cells in our body may also have memory capabilities.
“Learning and memory are often thought to be the exclusive functions of the brain and its cells, but our research shows that other cells in the body can also learn and form memories.”, said Kukushkin.
“Mass-spaced Effect”: Our Memory Strategy
To research for that claim, Kukushkin’s team planned to discover memory-specific characteristics in other cells in the body. They explored a concept known as the “mass-spaced effect“—the idea that learning over time (spaced repetition) is more effective than cramming all at once.
Spaced practice involves spreading study sessions over time. This method improves long-term retention by allowing the brain to encode information into memory more effectively. With spaced repetition, you study for shorter, focused sessions (say, an hour every other day) instead of doing one exhausting marathon session. Each time you revisit the material, your brain gets better at locking that information into your long-term memory. Plus, you can catch gaps in your understanding and fill them in as you go. This effect has been demonstrated in brain cells, or neurons, which respond differently to spaced and continuous signals.
When exposed to spaced patterns of stimuli, neurons react by strengthening their connections with one another, a process known as synaptic plasticity. This enhanced connectivity forms the physical basis of memory and learning in the brain.
Can Non-Brain Cells Learn?
To test this, scientists worked with two types of non-brain cells, exposing them to patterns of chemical signals that mimic how brain cells receive neurotransmitters during learning. These patterns acted as a kind of “training program” for the cells, enabling them to respond and adapt.
Researchers modified these cells with a light-emitting protein that lit up when a memory-related gene was active. The gene activation indicates a memory-related activity is going on inside the cell. Meanwhile, research can observe that the light shreds out. This allowed them to observe how the cells responded to the signals. The results showed that the non-brain cells responded stronger to spaced chemical signals than continuous ones, just like brain cells during spaced learning. This finding showed that even non-brain cells could mimic how neurons process information during learning.
Rethinking Memory: It’s a Cellular Thing
Kukushkin’s findings suggest that the ability to benefit from spaced repetition may not be exclusive to brain cells. Instead, it might be a basic feature shared by all cells in the body.
This study challenges the idea that memory and learning are confined to the brain. If non-brain cells can learn and “remember” in ways similar to neurons, it opens up exciting possibilities for understanding how our entire body contributes to storing and processing information. Who knows? The secrets of memory may go far beyond what we’ve imagined.
Resource: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-53922-x#Sec10
Author: Xuanwei Li
Buddy: Helena Olraun
Editor: Elena Markantonakis
Translation: Lucas Geelen
Editor translation: Hilde Althof
Photos: Aaron Burden, Lacie Slezak, Ben White
