UCLA biologists ‘transfer’ a memory

UCLA biologists report they have transferred a memory from one marine snail to another, creating an artificial memory, by injecting RNA from one to another. This research could lead to new ways to lessen the trauma of painful memories with RNA and to restore lost memories.“I think in the not-too-distant future, we could potentially use RNA to ameliorate the effects of Alzheimer’s disease or post-traumatic stress disorder,” said David Glanzman, senior author of the study and a UCLA professor of integrative biology and physiology and of neurobiology. The team’sresearch is published May 14 in eNeuro, the online journal of the Society for Neuroscience.RNA, or ribonucleic acid, has been widely known as a cellular messenger that makes proteins and carries out DNA ’s instructions to other parts of the cell. It is now understood to have other important functions besides protein coding, including regulation of a variety of cellular processes involved in development and disease.The researchers gave mild electric shocks to the tails of a species of marine snail called  Aplysia. The snails received five tail shocks, one every 20 minutes, and then five more 24 hours later. The shocks enhance the snail’s defensive withdrawal reflex, a response it displays for protection from potential harm. When the researchers subsequently tapped the snails, they found those tha t had been given the shocks displayed a defensive contraction that lasted an average of 50 seconds, a simple type o...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news