It is generally believed that the brain stores memories, but a research has revealed that other parts of the body also work to store memories.

It is generally believed that the brain stores memories, but a research has revealed that other parts of the body also work to store memories. The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, opens a new avenue for the treatment of brain disorders. Lead author Nikolay V. Kukushkin of New York University in the US said that other body cells can also learn and form memories.

The researchers found that just like brain cells, cells from other organs activated memory genes in response to new information. When brain cells detect patterns in information, memory genes activate and reorganize their connections to build memory. Apart from this, to monitor memory and learning processes in cells other than the brain, the team tried to detect through proteins whether the genes that make memory are working or not.

What did the experiment reveal?

The experiment showed that cells other than the brain can recognise when chemical signals (similar to signals from neurotransmitters in the brain) are being replicated. The team found that this process is similar to the process in which neurons are activated while learning new things. It also revealed that when cells learn by taking breaks, it works better, such as the neurons in our brain learn more effectively when we learn by taking a break.

What do the experts say?

When the pulses were given at different intervals, they activated memory genes more reliably and for longer periods of time, whereas the same interventions did not occur simultaneously, the team said. When the pulse was given at intervals, they retained the "memory genes" more firmly and longer, the team said. Kukushkin said that research shows that the ability to learn from repetition at intervals is not limited to brain cells, but it is being done by all cells. In addition to offering new ways to research memory, the research also suggests treating our bodies like our brains for better health.