(WIVB) – Researchers have uncovered new clues as to why we lose our long term memories.
It is a natural process where your brain sheds the memories you formed long ago – memories you don’t necessarily use of need anymore.
Scientists are learning about the biological mechanisms in your brain that cause this to happen, and it could lead to new treatments for Alzheimer’s and dementia.
This is the scientific explanation of how we remember things: Brain cells communicate with each other through synapses. The more AMPA receptors there are on those synapses, the stronger the memory will be.
Blocking the removal of the receptors extended the lifetime of memories in this study involving rats. The study was published in The Journal of Neuroscience.
Researchers in the U.K. say their latest study shows forgetting may involve a well-organized process of active deletion, not simply failing to remember. This could also help explain why certain memories will not go away, especially those associated with traumatic events.MORE TOP CLICKED STORIES TODAY:
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