Scientists have discovered that forgotten memories may be stored in the brain
Neurobiologists at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research in Switzerland have discovered that memories can remain in the brain even after they no longer influence behavior. The researchers called these traces “silent.”
The experiments were conducted on fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster). The insects were trained to associate a specific odor with a mild electric shock, after which they began to avoid that odor. After a day, the response disappeared, but the memory was successfully restored using familiar lighting and surface textures.
Scientists found that the brain forms two versions of a memory from the very beginning: one immediately influences behavior, while the other is stored latently in a different group of neurons. When the active version fades, the latent trace can be reactivated under the right conditions.
At the same time, the study showed that memory retrieval can lead to false memories. Scientists believe that this flexibility helps the brain adapt to changes in the environment.
Source: Nature Neuroscience.
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