Related to our current lecture material, researchers have been working on figuring out how our brain does what it does...memorize. Essentially, once neurons synapse, those synapses need to be "strengthened" in order for a concept or idea to be implanted in our memory bank. Activating a neuron (by any sort of stimulus) actually causes the degradation of microRNA's, which therefore enable particular mRNA's to be translated. These newly translated proteins play a part in "strengthening" synapses with other neurons, which ultimately results in the generation of a memory.
(i found the actual pubmed article if anyone is interested, but its quite complex)
Decoding which proteins are necessary to build stronger synapses, or knowing the specific mechanism by which neurons actually degrade the microRNA's would be monumental towards the treatment of diseases such as Alzheimers or Autism, or even the regeneration of brain function after a traumatic brain injury. This could also create super-brains, and people could have a much greater capacity to learn. Also, i never thought we would be able to explain the concept of thinking, and how our brain actually accomplishes that...but i guess i could be wrong..
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ReplyDeleteThis post came of interest to me, because I am sure everyone knows someone that has had loss of brain function, whether it is from injury or illness. Loss of brain function has a large effect on our society. I have always taken the idea of thinking and making memories for granted when it actually is a complex concept. Understanding of it could help with people that have had loss of brain function (as Aaron explained.)
ReplyDeleteI found an article, “Memory, Aging, and the I-function”, that went into the function of memory making and Alzheimer’s a little more. As we grow older there is a higher rate of Alzheimer’s that we become aware of, and it is difficult for those that are close to the individual who is losing his or her memory. “One study of the hippocampus affected by AD concluded that the largest change in the AD brain is the decrease in the number of synapses and in the area of synaptic contact” (Benner). While the size of synapse seems to increase with these affected individuals, the communication bridge between synapse and neuron decrease, eliminating the amount of long and short-term memories one is able to make. From this statement it further reinforces the significant of that communication bridge, and not specifically the synapses, in making memories and learninig. Finding a way to connect these neurons to synapses (building those bridges) could help this devastating disease, conditions that deal with loss of memory and learning, or could help create an extremely smart child. Overall, it is extremely important concept to further research
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro99/web3/Benner.html
I’m glad you brought up microRNAs, because I learned more about how they influence gene structure in a Genetics course I’m taking right now. Inherently, miRNAs are distinct from normal RNA because they do not code for a protein yet they influence gene sequences, and thereby, gene expression. Different groups of miRNAS end up affecting a wide variety of physiological processes—including memory—because they are regulatory. At the molecular level, their actions are summarized in the following 5 steps:
ReplyDelete1.) miRNA precursor molecule—held together by H bonds—increases folding
2.) “Dicer” enzyme slices the double stranded molecule into shorter pieces
3.) Within each segment, one strand of the pre-cursor miRNA is degraded while the other strand (now considered the miRNA, rather than the precursor) associates with a group of proteins
4.) The miRNA-protein complex base pairs with a target mRNA that has a complementary sequence
5.) Binding of miRNA-protein complex inhibits gene expression using one of two mechanisms: degradation of the target mRNA or inhibiting the translation of the transcribed molecule
Sources Cited:
Franco, Marie-Dominique. “The Human Genome: Gene Structure and Function.” 06 Nov. 2011. Lecture. Regis University.