Memory is experience-dependent:Protein supports synaptic plasticity

Study investigates chemical basis for learning

A team of neuroscientists at the Ruhr University Bochum has investigated the chemical foundations of learning mechanisms in the brain. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein involved in nerve growth, and its connection to information storage and memory in the hippocampus were at the centre of their research. The team was able to show that this particular protein facilitates some, but not all forms of learning. The journal “Hippocampus” has now published the result of their work.

Influence of BDNF on synaptic plasticity

The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein which affects the neurons of the peripheral and central nervous system. In the brain it ensures the survival and growth of neurons and synapses. BDNF is especially active in the hippocampus, an area of the brain responsible for learning and memory. The research team of Prof. Dr. Denise Manahan-Vaughan and Prof. Dr. Stefan Herlitze is the first to investigate in vivo how BDNF influences the changing strength of connections in the brain. Neuroscientists call this phenomenon synaptic plasticity. It describes the brain’s ability to strengthen or weaken neural connections according to how frequently they are used. This adaptability is the foundation for learning and memory.

Intense experiences do not require growth factor

In their research the scientists investigated how BDNF is connected to learning and memory. They discovered that the growth factor is only involved in specific forms of memory. “Our research has shown that it depends on the type of experience, whether this protein facilitates synaptic plasticity. Very vivid and intense experiences bypass the need for BDNF when they are stored as memory,” explains PhD student Janna Aarse. “Less vivid experiences on the other hand, critically require BDNF. It enables information storage by fine-tuning the synaptic network.”

Collaborative Research Centre 874 investigates sensory processing

The results of the study contribute to a broader understanding of the mechanisms involved in learning and memory in the hippocampus. The research is part of the work of Collaborative Research Centre 874 “Integration and Representation of Sensory Processes”, which investigates how sensory signals result in complex behaviour and memory formation. The group is located at the Ruhr-University Bochum and has been funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft since 2010.