Scientist The change from young to old memory

Brain stores new and old memories in different ways
Remembering is a difference between recent events and long-standing experiences. This is also evident, for example, in dementia patients, who sometimes can not remember the experiences of the last few minutes, but have experiences from their youth relatively accurate in mind. In a recent study, scientists at the Ruhr University Bochum (RUB) investigated how the brain processes memories differently depending on the past time of the event. The researchers published their results in the journal "eLIFE".

The brain differentiates in memory, depending on how long ago the happened. It makes a difference whether we remember episodes that are far in the past or those that just happened, RUB tells you. Neuroscientists from the RUB, together with a researcher from Osaka University, have analyzed the different ways in which the brain works with the various memories. They found that depending on the past time of the event different brain regions are involved.

Old memories are recalled differently in the brain than recent events. (Image: vege / fotolia.com)

What happens in the brain in memories that have been around for a long time??
According to the RUB, there is a consensus among neuroscientists that the hippocampal brain region plays a crucial role in retrieving recently stored memories. Here, the belonging to him Corno-ammonia regions 1 and 3 (CA1 and CA3) are particularly active. In the regions there are large, widely branched nerve cells, which are activated when retrieving the memories. However, "memory researchers controversially discuss what happens when recalled memories are half a lifetime back," reports the RUB. Here, the question arises whether the hippocampus is still involved or adjacent, "parahippocampal" regions then play a greater role.

Altered activation of the brain regions
The research team around Prof. Dr. med. Magdalena Sauvage was now able to observe "that the CA3 region, which is considered the memory memory in the hippocampus, does not seem to matter anymore if we retrieve very old memories," according to the RUB. Rather, in this case continue to CA1 and additional adjacent areas of the hippocampus in demand. According to Prof. Sauvage, the reason for this change could be the way the CA3 region works. In the region, for example, "CA3 retrieves reminders by completing the original reminder from a stored feature," explains the expert. "We suspect that these notes are breaking down more and more over the years and ultimately can not be used as a 'memory support'," Sauvage continues. Thus "the brain must resort to CA1 and processes in adjacent areas of the hippocampus." (Fp)