"1970s, scientists discovered long-term potentiation (LTP), which detailed how strengthening and weakening synapses helped form memory, but that’s only part of the story.
In order to pull off this wondrous feat, synapses rely on a variety of
One of the big drawbacks of relying on PKMzeta to be the molecule responsible for memory formation is that it simply doesn’t last in the brain very long, sticking around for only a couple hours or days.
----Humans likely wouldn’t have invented agriculture let alone launch rockets into space with such subpar recall.
Also, with 10,000 synapses to every one neuron, scientists didn’t know exactly how PKMzeta strengthened some synapses and not others.
Now, a new study from scientists at the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Health Sciences University has an answer......During memory formation the synapses involved in the formation are activated. PKMzeta then attaches to the KIBRA-synaptic-tag and keeps those synapses strong. This allows the synapses to stick to newly made KIBRA, attracting more newly made PKMzeta. The researchers call this KIBRA the “missing link” molecule that
Now, a new study from scientists at the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Health Sciences University has an answer......During memory formation the synapses involved in the formation are activated. PKMzeta then attaches to the KIBRA-synaptic-tag and keeps those synapses strong. This allows the synapses to stick to newly made KIBRA, attracting more newly made PKMzeta. The researchers call this KIBRA the “missing link” molecule that
acts as a glue
that allows memories to persist for years or even decades."
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