Scientists from American universities have a breinimplantaat has been developed in which a neuronaal signaleringspatroon imitated. By implantation in the brain may cause memory to be improved.
The implant, which short electric pulses are working, is implanted near the brain area which the hippocampus is called, writes the New York Times. The electrodes were placed at two specific areas in the hippocampus, CA1 and CA3 are called. The rats in the experiment proved something to remember if these two areas can communicate with each other. When scientists the function of brain area CA1 of braking appears to be the rat no new memories more. When the signaleringspatroon what CA1 issues, however, is imitated by the electrodes in the implant, the memory returns to normal functioning.
For the experiment used the researchers rats that two levers in had to press to get water. Had the animals, remember that they are the first lever already had printed, then press the second key. Researchers led the rats after the first lever was pressed, and then to see if the animals remember what they have done, and so directly to the second lever press. The rats were found the trick to be very capable of learning under normal circumstances. When brain region CA1 is in “offline” was removed they were not able to remember, and with the implant what CA1-signaling mimics, they could again.
In addition, it seems that rats that are stimulated with the electrodes less likely the trick with the levers forget. Under normal circumstances, proved to be 40 percent of the rats the hefboomsysteem to be forgotten after a certain time, while with elektrodenstimulatie at the same time, only 10 percent of the rats had forgotten how the levers worked.
It is unclear whether the system in this way also can be used. Research has already shown that more brain regions are involved in forming and maintaining memory. Among other things, the prefrontal cortex, in particular, is involved in cognitive processes, plays a role. In addition, according to a theory that the tweestapsmodel is called the formed memory in the hippocampus during sleep be moved to areas in the cerebral cortex. It is suggested that this process eventually causes memories in the brain physically.
It seems also not plausible that the principle of elektrodenimplantaten can also be used in patients who have memories of the past are lost by brain damage: in the study with the rats was the system only used to create new memories to create on the basis of a recorded signaleringspatroon. In addition, it seems that patients with damage to the hippocampus often not be able to make new memories to form, but that existing memories remain. Scientists hope eventually with implants geheugenschade, for example, caused by dementia, strokes or brain haemorrhages, to repair.
