Memory is actually both a blessing and a burden. This process, where memories are stored through integration with brain cells, has long-term costs.

Good, When you start storing information in memory, It might be helpful to review some of the information you already have in your memory.

Inflammation and DNA damage that occur in neurons in the hippocampus region of the brain are among the most important consequences.

A study on this topic, in the process of memory formation Before new memories are formed, the existing structure must be carefully destroyed, like grenades that must be broken. It may sound a bit confusing, but if we explain it a bit more, you will see what we mean.

neuroscientist Jelena Radulovicstates that inflammation in brain neurons often has negative consequences and has been linked to neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. But these new findings show that inflammation in certain neurons in the hippocampal region is necessary for the formation of long-term memories.

In their experiments with mice, the team used short, mild electric shocks to activate memory processes.

The findings obtained associated with inflammation in hippocampal neurons It revealed activation of the Toll-Like Receptor 9 (TLR9) pathway. This pathway is only activated in clusters of neurons that exhibit DNA damage. DNA breaks, which are normally repaired quickly, attracted attention; instead of cell division, neurons were organized into memory-forming clusters.

In mice, this inflammation regulation lasted for a week and then Neurons that store memories It was observed to be more resistant to external interventions, showing that memories become fully locked and protected over time.

It is thought that a similar mechanism may exist in the human brain.

RadulovicWhile he emphasizes the importance of these findings, he argues that it is crucial for the brain, which is under a constant stream of information, to retain existing information and not be influenced by new information. It is also interesting to see that when the TLR9 inflammasome pathway is blocked in mice, their ability to remember electric shocks is lost.

absence of TLR9, It caused more severe DNA damage, unlike that seen in neurodegenerative diseases.

According to the results of the study, brain cells undergo certain biochemical and genetic changes during the formation of new memories. In this process, a pathway called TLR9 comes into play, which is especially important in detecting DNA. TLR9, It is a receptor that mediates the immune response to DNA and from this research we understand that TLR9 is activated during memory formation and that this is associated with neural activity.

Our other content that may interest you: