Want to be able to remember every single thing you see? Scientists have now found a molecule that appears to switch on total recall in the mouse brain, and it could be used to help treat people with neurodegenerative diseases.

Researchers from McGill University Health Centre in Canada have identified a molecule that seems to stop the brain from storing memories – and by suppressing it in mice, they’ve managed to unlock super-memory in the animals and improve neuro-functioning.

The molecule is FXR1P (or Fragile X Related Protein 1), a protein that belongs to a family of molecules that are involved in the brain forming new connections – the process that’s essential for memories being locked in.

Researchers already know that in order for memories to form, certain molecules need to be produced in the brain, and if that doesn’t happen, then we can’t remember an event.

But the new study is the first to suggest that FXR1P could actually be putting the brakes on the memory formation process.

“Our findings show that the brain has a key protein that limits the production of molecules necessary for memory formation. When this brake-protein is suppressed, the brain is able to store more information,” said Keith Murai, a neurologist and the lead researcher, in a press release. The results are published in an open access paper in Cell Reports.

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Spiny Norman said:

Want to be able to remember every single thing you see?

More

No!

Watched this other day, full of bullshit, but happened to be in the mood for just that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_(2014_film)

After reading the link I couldn’t but think of the brilliant short story, Flowers for Algernon.

I wonder if there is a molecule for forgetting certain memories

I’d guess you’d first find the memory and then you would have to figure out which molecules were responsible for forming the memory, and then seeing if certain other molecules could delete the memory

sibeen said:

After reading the link I couldn’t but think of the brilliant short story, Flowers for Algernon.

One of my favourites. The author, Daniel Keyes, subsequently expanded it into a novel, which is also very good, but it doesn’t have the same impact as the original short story.

PM 2Ring said:

sibeen said:

After reading the link I couldn’t but think of the brilliant short story, Flowers for Algernon.

One of my favourites. The author, Daniel Keyes, subsequently expanded it into a novel, which is also very good, but it doesn’t have the same impact as the original short story.

Could the title possibly be gayer?

dv said:

PM 2Ring said:

sibeen said:

After reading the link I couldn’t but think of the brilliant short story, Flowers for Algernon.

One of my favourites. The author, Daniel Keyes, subsequently expanded it into a novel, which is also very good, but it doesn’t have the same impact as the original short story.

Could the title possibly be gayer?

Algernon is a mouse :)

sibeen said:

dv said:

PM 2Ring said:

One of my favourites. The author, Daniel Keyes, subsequently expanded it into a novel, which is also very good, but it doesn’t have the same impact as the original short story.

Could the title possibly be gayer?

Algernon is a mouse :)

Okay well that makes it worse

‘s the best’

Spiny Norman said:

Want to be able to remember every single thing you see?

Not really.

Sounds like autism

I’ve seen things on the interweb that I would prefer to forget…

“Our findings show that the brain has a key protein that limits the production of molecules necessary for memory formation.

Perhaps with good reason, maybe people with super memory had mental breakdowns and died