Washington, Apr 20 (ANI): A new study has discovered that a CREB protein controls the odds of a neuron playing a role in memory formation, which may lead to a new approach for preserving memory in people suffering from Alzheimer’s or other brain injury.

The research was conducted by a team of researchers led by Alcino Silva at UCLA/University of Toronto.

“Making a memory is not a conscious act. Learning triggers a cascade of chemicals in the brain that influence which memories are kept and which are lost,” Silva said.

“Earlier studies have linked the CREB protein to keeping memories stable. We suspected it also played a key role in channelling memories to brain cells that are ready to store them,” he added.

As part of the study, researchers evaluate their hypothesis by implanting CREB into a virus, which they introduced into some of the cells in mouse’s amygdala, a brain region critical to emotional memory.

Researchers tested the ability of mouse to recall a specific cage it had visited before which was outfitted with patterned walls and a unique smell.

The scientists tracked a genetic marker that reveals recent neuron activity to visualize which brain cells stored the animal’s memories about the cage.

Researchers found substantial amounts of CREB and the marker in neurons when they examined the animals’ amygdalas after the experiment.

“We discovered that the amount of CREB influences whether or not the brain stores a memory. If a cell is low in CREB, it is less likely to keep a memory. If the cell is high in CREB, it is more likely to store the memory,” Silva said.

“By artificially manipulating CREB levels among groups of cells, we can determine where the brain stores its memories,” he explained.

“This approach could potentially be used to preserve memory in people suffering from Alzheimer’s or other brain injury. We may be able to guide memories into healthy cells and away from sick cells in dying regions of the brain,” he said.

Researchers concluded that our memories define who we are, so learning how the brain stores memory is fundamental to understanding what it is to be human.

“A memory is not a static snapshot. Memories serve a purpose. They are about acquiring information that helps us deal with similar situations in the future. What we recall helps us learn from our past experiences and better shape our lives,” Silva said.

The findings of the research were published in the April edition of Science. (ANI)