From Engrams to Pathologies of the Brain.

ABSTRACT: Memories are the experiential threads that tie our past to the present. The biological realization of a memory is termed an engram-the enduring biochemical and physiological processes that enable learning and retrieval. The past decade has witnessed an explosion of engram research that suggests we are closing in on boundary conditions for what qualifies as the physical manifestation of memory. In this review, we provide a brief history of engram research, followed by an overview of the many rodent models available to probe memory with intersectional strategies that have yielded unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution over defined sets of cells. We then discuss the limitations and controversies surrounding engram research and subsequently attempt to reconcile many of these views both

SUBMITTER: Denny CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5383718 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature