Making Memories: Novel Strategies to Improve Memory and Learning in the Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex

Memory is well known to be associated with the hippocampus, and several studies have been conducted to further investigate if greater activation of certain areas can improve memory. The brain is a very flexible entity that readily adapts to day-to-day occurrences. When new information is processed, it is consolidated into stable memory that is stored to be recovered at a later time. In order for this process to occur, a key mechanism is long term potentiation, in which neural connections have persistent strengthening according to patterns of activity. On the other hand, persistent strengthening is not typically permanent since learning new experiences requires learning and suggests a circuitry that is more flexible. According to Dr. Joshua Gordon’s study, the neural mechanisms of this plasticity can be explored by studying spatial learning in mice.  

In Dr. Gordon’s experiment, mice underwent two different spatial tasks. First, they were trained to navigate a maze using a certain strategy. Then, these mice were given a second spatial task in which they had to implement a new strategy. It was found that initially, the mice had implemented the first strategy that was learned to the new spatial task as it was stored in their memory; however, eventually they were able to learn the new strategy to complete the maze. Interestingly, after the mice were placed in the original task, they had the capacity to utilize the original strategy once again. Thus, this shows that the neural circuitry of mice had been flexible to be able to contain the new memory of the strategy that was learned and also execute the correct strategy depending on the demands of the task.  

Given this study, it is seen that new experiences can potentially lessen already established neural connections in the hippocampal-prefrontal area that further supports this idea of flexible spatial learning. This is then able to reset the neural circuitry to make room for new memories.  

There are similarities between Dr. Gordon’s and Dr. Grella's study. In Dr. Grella's study, the focus was to disrupt memories consolidated in fear conditioning with memories that are associated with rewarding behavior. This rewarding experience is able to create more positive thoughts that are thought to provide an interference with the negative associations of fear. As new memories were able to amend the synaptic connections of the old memories, more positive thoughts can be a means of limited or replacing negative affects of memory. Both of these studies can provide for significant breakthroughs in neuroscience research and help gain a better understanding of learning and memory in humans.  

 

 

Works Cited  

Grella, S. L., Fortin, A. H., Ruesch, E., Bladon, J. H., Reynolds, L. F., Gross, A., Shpokayte, M., Cincotta, C., Zaki, Y., & Ramirez, S. (2022). Reactivating hippocampal-mediated memories during reconsolidation to disrupt fear. Nature Communications, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32246-8  

Neuroscience News. (2021, February 24). New experiences enhance learning by resetting key brain circuit. Neuroscience News. Retrieved December 13, 2022, from https://neurosciencenews.com/experience-memory-learning-17871/