Scientists Discover Parallel Pathway for Long-Term Memory Formation

Research reveals long-term memory can form independently of short-term memory, challenging established theories and offering new hope for memory-related conditions.

• Researchers at Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience identified a second pathway for forming long-term memories in the brain.
• The study found that disrupting short-term memory formation in mice did not prevent the creation of long-term memories.
• Experiments used optogenetics to inhibit the CaMKII enzyme, which is critical for short-term memory formation, in the amygdala of mice.
• This discovery challenges the long-held belief that long-term memories must first pass through a short-term memory stage.
• Scientists believe this breakthrough could lead to new approaches for addressing memory impairments caused by aging or cognitive disorders.

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