Overview
- In experiments published in PLOS Biology, scientists inhibited microglia in young mice and observed improved recall of a fearful experience.
- Pharmacological and receptor-specific tools reduced microglial activity in the dentate gyrus and amygdala, which correlated with better memory performance.
- Fluorescent tagging showed early-life engram cells persisted but were typically silent, with microglial inhibition increasing their activation during recall.
- Modulating microglia after birth restored typical infantile amnesia in offspring of mothers with activated immune systems, linking microglial function to altered memory trajectories.
- The authors emphasize the findings are in mice, suggest potential relevance to neurodevelopmental disorders, and note that any adaptive purpose for infantile amnesia remains unresolved.