Traditionally, memory has been understood as a function of the brain, specifically brain cells, which store and process information. However, recent groundbreaking research has revealed that cells outside the brain also play a role in memory, expanding our understanding of how memory works and potentially opening new doors for enhancing learning and treating memory-related disorders.
Nikolay V. Kukushkin, a clinical associate professor of life science at New York University (NYU) and the lead author of the study published in Nature Communications, explains, “Learning and memory are generally associated with brains and brain cells alone, but our study shows that other cells in the body can learn and form memories, too.” This discovery challenges long-held beliefs about memory and introduces new avenues for research in the field.
The study builds upon the concept of the massed-spaced effect, a well-established phenomenon in neuroscience that demonstrates how spaced-out study sessions improve memory retention compared to cramming. To explore whether non-brain cells could also engage in memory processes, the researchers focused on two types of human cells—nerve tissue cells and kidney tissue cells—and exposed them to varying patterns of chemical signals, mimicking the way brain cells respond to neurotransmitters when learning.
Remarkably, the non-brain cells activated a “memory gene,” a gene that plays a crucial role in memory formation by enabling brain cells to restructure their connections when they detect patterns in information. This activation demonstrated that non-brain cells could “learn” and form memories similar to brain cells, a surprising finding that opens new possibilities for understanding memory beyond the confines of the brain.
To track the activation of the memory gene, the team engineered the non-brain cells to produce a glowing protein, providing a clear indicator of when the memory gene was on and off. The results were striking: when the cells were exposed to chemical pulses in spaced-out intervals, rather than a continuous stream, the memory gene was activated more strongly and for a longer duration. This mimicked the massed-spaced effect seen in brain cells, which learn more effectively with breaks between learning sessions instead of cramming all at once.
“This reflects the massed-space effect in action,” says Kukushkin. “It shows that the ability to learn from spaced repetition isn’t unique to brain cells, but might, in fact, be a fundamental property of all cells.” The research suggests that learning and memory processes could be inherent in more of the body’s cells than previously thought, which could have profound implications for understanding memory and cognitive function.
The discovery that non-brain cells are capable of memory formation opens up exciting new directions for medical research. Kukushkin notes that this could lead to better ways of enhancing learning and treating memory disorders. “At the same time, it suggests that in the future, we will need to treat our body more like the brain,” he adds. For example, it may become important to understand how other organs, such as the pancreas, “remember” patterns of past meals to regulate blood glucose levels, or how cancer cells might “remember” the pattern of chemotherapy treatments.
This breakthrough broadens the scope of memory research beyond the brain, offering new tools and insights for a variety of applications, from improving cognitive function to addressing complex health challenges. By viewing the entire body as capable of memory, scientists may unlock new treatments for conditions like Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and even cancer.
By Impact Lab
