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Related Concept Videos

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory01:26

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or playing an...
Synaptic Signaling01:09

Synaptic Signaling

Neurons communicate at synapses, or junctions, to excite or inhibit the activity of other neurons or target cells, such as muscles. Synapses may be chemical or electrical.
Most synapses are chemical, meaning an electrical impulse or action potential spurs the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. The neuron sending the signal is called the presynaptic neuron, and the neuron receiving the signal is the postsynaptic neuron.
The presynaptic neuron fires an action potential that...
Role of Neurotransmitters in Memory01:23

Role of Neurotransmitters in Memory

Neurotransmitters are integral to the brain's communication system, enabling neurons to transmit signals across synapses. This chemical exchange underpins various cognitive functions, including memory processes. The role of neurotransmitters in memory is multifaceted, influencing the encoding, consolidation, and retrieval of memories through their action on different neural circuits.
 Glutamate and Synaptic Plasticity
Glutamate, the brain's main excitatory neurotransmitter, is critical for...
Storage01:23

Storage

A schema is a mental framework that helps individuals organize and interpret information. Schemata, formed from previous experiences, influence how we process new information: how we encode it, the inferences we make, and how we retrieve it. For instance, a schema for what a typical classroom looks like might include desks, a teacher's desk, a whiteboard, and students in such an environment. This expectation helps us quickly understand and navigate new classrooms without needing to analyze each...
Long-term Potentiation01:35

Long-term Potentiation

Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre- and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Long-term Potentiation01:25

Long-term Potentiation

Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Hebbian LTP
LTP can occur when presynaptic neurons...

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Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Aversive Associative Learning and Memory Formation by Pairing Two Chemicals in Caenorhabditis elegans
07:17

Aversive Associative Learning and Memory Formation by Pairing Two Chemicals in Caenorhabditis elegans

Published on: June 23, 2022

Learning and memory consolidation: linking molecular and behavioral data.

I Morgado-Bernal1

  • 1Institut de Neurociencia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain. ignacio.morgado@uab.es

Neuroscience
|January 11, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Learning and memory consolidation involve molecular processes, including glutamatergic activation of synapses and changes in dendritic spines. These mechanisms, similar to brain development, form the structural basis for memory formation and persistence.

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High Resolution Quantitative Synaptic Proteome Profiling of Mouse Brain Regions After Auditory Discrimination Learning
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High Resolution Quantitative Synaptic Proteome Profiling of Mouse Brain Regions After Auditory Discrimination Learning

Published on: December 15, 2016

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Last Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Aversive Associative Learning and Memory Formation by Pairing Two Chemicals in Caenorhabditis elegans
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Published on: June 23, 2022

High Resolution Quantitative Synaptic Proteome Profiling of Mouse Brain Regions After Auditory Discrimination Learning
10:36

High Resolution Quantitative Synaptic Proteome Profiling of Mouse Brain Regions After Auditory Discrimination Learning

Published on: December 15, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • Learning and memory are complex cognitive functions involving changes in neural connections.
  • Synaptic plasticity is a key mechanism underlying memory formation.
  • Understanding the molecular basis of memory consolidation is crucial for neuroscience.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To synthesize classic and recent molecular data on learning and memory consolidation.
  • To explain the role of glutamatergic activation and synaptic changes in memory.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying short-term, long-term, and persistent memory.

Main Methods:

  • Review and integration of molecular data and hypotheses from various research.
  • Explanation of cellular and molecular processes involved in synaptic plasticity.
  • Discussion of recent findings in system consolidation and neural circuit memory allocation.

Main Results:

  • Glutamatergic activation of plastic synapses leads to new or enlarged dendritic spines, forming a structural basis for memory.
  • N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation triggers intracellular signaling cascades, promoting protein synthesis and actin dynamics.
  • Morphological changes in neuronal cytoskeleton, stabilized by new receptors, enable memory consolidation.

Conclusions:

  • Memory consolidation relies on molecular mechanisms involving synaptic plasticity and structural changes in neurons.
  • These processes are linked to the dynamic regulation of protein synthesis and cytoskeletal remodeling.
  • The study provides insights into the molecular underpinnings of different memory durations and neural circuit involvement.