The Times They Are A Changing

With a new study, scientists have discovered where memory is located in the brain and how it is retrieved. A recent study with epileptic patients have shown, for the first time, how brain cells recall a short term memory.

Scientists had believed that brain cells recalling a memory were the same ones used when the actual event took place. Now they have proof that this is the case. They now know that short term memory (long term memory has not been proven as of yet) is much like redoing the actual event.

Reported in the journal, Science, this discovery is a path leading to help with studies in Alzheimer and Dementia. Interestingly, during the experimental study, scientists found evidence of memories slightly before the patient was actually aware of the memory. Michael J. Kahana, a University of Pennsylvania Professor, said, “This is what I call a foundational finding.” He went on to say that he could not think of any comparable finding in recent history and that this a piece of the puzzle that helps us fill in the details of memory.

Alzheimer patients are not able to quickly recall past experiences in rich detail, the ability declining with the advancement of the disease. In the study, both American and Israeli scientists attached electrodes to 13 patients with severe epilepsy. This is standard procedure for doctors to find the brain storm activity that cause seizures in epileptics. These new discoveries could help scientists find a way to recover short term memory loss.

After watching short films, the scientists recorded the neuron activity as they were watching and then after distraction asked to recall the film clips. The activity for both actions were found in a small slice of the brain called hippocampus. Even though long term memory was not studied, researchers believe the recall of those memories would fire neurons in the same location as when the event took place.