Memories are constantly adapting in the brain over time, dynamically updating as people encounter new information and fresh experiences.
Researchers think they've figured out the brain mechanism that drives this memory integration, based on a study of lab mice.
In the study, researchers tracked the behavior and brain activity in the hippocampus of adult mice as they learned and consolidated new experiences into their memories. The hippocampus is the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning. And after a negative experience, the brain replays not just that event but memories from days earlier, searching for related events to link together and integrate into memory, researchers said.
“Our work with mouse models shows the inadequacy of this theory, since it doesn't account for how the brain can both store memories while flexibly updating them with new and relevant information,” Cai added. “This combination of stability and flexibility within neural ensembles is critical for us to make everyday predictions and decisions, and to interact with an everchanging world.”
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