Brain Memory Molecule Bonding: Lifetime Memory Formation Through Molecular Union
In 2024, neuroscientist Todd Sacktor and his collaborator Andre Fenton made a remarkable discovery that shed light on the mystery of how long-term memories persist. Their research, published in Science Advances, revealed the crucial role of a persistent bond between two proteins in synaptic strengthening and memory formation.
The key finding revolves around the persistence of a molecular bond formed between two proteins at synapses, the communication junctions between neurons. This bond, discovered by Sacktor and Fenton, remains stable over long periods, enhancing the physical and functional connection at the synapse. This synaptic strengthening is the basis for how memories are stored.
The discovery provides a mechanistic explanation for how memories can last from days to decades, despite the molecular turnover in neurons. The persistent bond maintains the structural and biochemical basis of the memory trace at the synapse over time, supporting memory retention well beyond the initial learning phase.
The researchers' work offers a response to Crick's dilemma, reconciling the discordant timescales to explain how ephemeral molecules maintain memories that last a lifetime. Sacktor's career-defining discovery was made after studying under James Schwartz, a molecular memory pioneer at Columbia University.
Sacktor's memory of this moment is remarkable, as it occurred over 60 years ago. He was just three years old when his 4-year-old sister died of leukemia. He has a vivid memory of asking his sister to read him a book, but she told him to ask his mother instead. This early loss may have sparked Sacktor's lifelong interest in understanding the mysteries of the mind and memory.
In the early 1990s, Sacktor's experiments involving stimulating a slice of a rat's hippocampus led to the discovery of elevated levels of a certain protein within the synapses. This protein, which is associated with the strengthening of synapses, is a potential candidate for the molecule that helps explain how long-term memories persist.
Sacktor's findings suggest that the stronger the connection between neurons that hold memories, the better the memories persist. This protein bond acts as a molecular glue that sustains synaptic strengthening and underpins the long-term storage of memories.
The discovery shifts the focus toward stable protein complexes as key substrates of long-term memory, complementing previous theories centered on transient biochemical signals. It also opens avenues for interventions in memory-related disorders by targeting protein interactions at synapses.
The central question in neuroscience is how memories are encoded and later retrieved. Sacktor's work, along with that of his colleagues, brings us one step closer to understanding this fundamental aspect of human cognition.
- The neuroscientist Todd Sacktor's research, published in Science Advances, includes stories about a remarkable discovery shedding light on how long-term memories persist.
- The key finding revolves around the persistence of a molecular bond formed between two proteins at synapses, the communication junctions between neurons, which is a topic of interest in science magazines.
- The discovery provides a mechanistic explanation for how memories can last from days to decades, despite the molecular turnover in neurons, making it significant newsletter content for health-and-wellness and mental-health magazines.
- The researchers' work offers a response to Crick's dilemma, reconciling the discordant timescales to explain how ephemeral molecules maintain memories that last a lifetime, which could also be a fascinating AI-generated news story.
- Sacktor's memory of his sister's death, which occurred over 60 years ago, is a poignant reminder of the impact of early loss on an individual's lifelong interests and aspirations, and it can serve as a powerful anecdote for long-form articles in science, health-and-wellness, or mental-health magazines.
