| Identified protein that promotes "clean up" short-term memory |
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 Drosophila Scientists Tsinghua University (China) experimentally proved that the protein Rac promotes "clean" short-term memory in fruit flies. Experts identify two possible mechanisms of destruction of memories. First, passive, determines their gradual disappearance over time, while the second controls the displacement of old media when new. The authors have tried to consider both mechanisms. In their experiments used two different substances, the smell of which caused a negative reaction in fruit flies, and the impact of one of the substances was accompanied by a light electric shock. Insects quickly apprised of the situation and began to avoid the substance.
In the first experiment, flies after completion of the training was
left alone, watching as their memories over time destroyed. In the
second experiment, the researchers deliberately supplanted memories,
offering fly two new materials with unusual odors. In the third variant
of the experiment insects "misled" by combining the impact of shocks,
the substance which had previously been safe.
As it turned out, in all cases, the "cleaning" the memory managed by
the protein Rac: if the destruction took place on a passive mechanism,
the protein only began to operate later than when the researchers
interfered with the process. The blocking functions Rac lifetime of
memories has increased from several hours to one day, and the
artificial stimulation of its activity in neurons mushroom bodies’
insect brain, however, expedite the removal of information. There is no
connection between the protein and the mechanisms of formation of new
memories researchers could not be found.
According to one of the authors and Zhong (Yi Zhong), similar to the molecular regulators of removing memories must act in other organisms. |
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