Researchers have just discovered that ovoid neurons allow us to memorize objects.
- Ovoid neurons are responsible for memorizing objects in the brain, according to a new study.
- These neurons are activated during the meeting with a new object, but cease to react once the object is memorized.
- Ultimately, this discovery could make it possible to better understand and treat neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and epilepsy.
They serve us daily and yet, so far, we did not know them: Ovoid neurons. According to a new study, published in the journal Nature Communications,, These are the neurons that allow the brain to memorize objects. “”The memory that allows you to recognize objects is at the heart of our identity and the way we interact with the worldindicates Dr. Mark Cembrowski, principal author of the study, in a press release. Know if an object is familiar or new can determine everything, from survival to daily operation, and has enormous implications for diseases and disorders related to memory”.
Memory: Ovoid neurons are activated with each new object
Adrienne Kinman, co-author of the work, discovered ovoid neurons by analyzing a sample of mouse brain. “”They hid there, at the sight of all, she explains. After a further analysis, we found that they were very different from other neurons in the cellular and functional level, and in terms of neural circuits”.
To better understand the role of ovoid neurons, the scientific team at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, has experienced mice. She found that they were activating whenever the rodents were in contact with a new object. “”What is remarkable is the liveliness with which these cells react when they are exposed to something new, details Adrienne Kinman. It is rare to observe such a clear link between cell activity and behavior. And in mice, cells can remember a single meeting with an object for months, which represents an extraordinary level of sustained memory for these animals. “
These neurons no longer intervene in the recognition of objects
By dint of seeing the new object, the ovoid neurons stopped reacting. This means that they were active in the memorization phase but that, thereafter, they no longer intervened in the recognition of objects. “”From a fundamental neuroscience point of view, this really transforms our understanding of the functioning of memory, underlines Dr. Mark Cembrowski. (…) Other types of neurons, which have not been discovered, could therefore exist in the brain, each with roles specialized in learning, memory and cognition. This opens a world of possibilities that would completely remodel the way we approach and treat health and brain diseases”.
With this discovery, researchers are now studying the potential role of ovoid neurons in certain neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s or epilepsy. “”Recognition memory is one of the characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease: you forget what the keys or the photo of a person you love areexplains Adrienne Kinman. What if we could handle these cells to prevent or reverse this phenomenon?”. Hope for many patients. As a reminder, currently, more than 55 million people have dementia worldwide, according to The World Health Organization (WHO)whose Alzheimer’s disease is responsible for 60 to 70 % of cases.
