"Learning and memory are generally associated with brains and brain cells alone, but our study shows that other cells in the body can learn and form memories, too," said Nikolay V. Kukushkin, lead author and NYU professor. The study, now published in 'Nature Communications', illuminates a unique role of non-brain cells in memory formation.
The research focused on exploring whether cells outside the brain could engage in memory retention. Scientists based their experiments on a principle known as the massed-spaced effect - a phenomenon observed in the brain where information is more easily retained when learning is spread out over time, rather than concentrated in a single session or "crammed."
To test this, the team studied two types of non-brain human cells, derived from nerve and kidney tissues, which they exposed to patterns of chemical signals similar to how brain cells experience neurotransmitter pulses during learning. Remarkably, these cells activated a "memory gene" - a gene brain cells use to recognize and respond to repeated information patterns, adjusting their connections accordingly to form memories.
To track memory and learning activity, the scientists engineered the cells to produce a glowing protein, signaling when the memory gene was activated.
The findings revealed that these non-brain cells could differentiate between repeated bursts of signals and continuous stimulation, just as neurons do when learning with breaks. When exposed to spaced intervals, the cells activated the memory gene more effectively and for longer durations compared to when exposed continuously.
"This reflects the massed-space effect in action," said Kukushkin, who also serves as a research fellow at NYU's Center for Neural Science. "It shows that the ability to learn from spaced repetition isn't unique to brain cells but may be a fundamental property of all cells."
The team notes that this discovery not only advances our understanding of memory but also hints at new health applications.
"This discovery opens new doors for understanding how memory works and could lead to better ways to enhance learning and treat memory problems," Kukushkin commented. "In the future, we may need to consider the 'memories' our other cells hold - for instance, how a pancreas might 'remember' meal patterns to regulate blood glucose or how a cancer cell might 'recall' chemotherapy exposure."
Research Report:Humans, sea slugs, kidney cells: we all learn the same way
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