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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 11, 2026

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation

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Published on: August 18, 2014

Interregional synaptic maps among engram cells underlie memory formation.

Jun-Hyeok Choi¹, Su-Eon Sim¹, Ji-Il Kim¹

¹School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea.

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|April 28, 2018

Summary

Scientists found that stronger connections between brain cells, specifically engram cells, physically store memories. This enhanced connectivity in the CA1 and CA3 regions of the brain directly correlates with memory strength and formation.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cellular Biology
Memory Research

Background:

Memory storage is theorized to involve synaptic plasticity within engram cells.
The precise physical location of memory encoding within these cells remains largely theoretical.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify the specific neuronal substrate for memory storage.
To investigate synaptic changes in engram cells during memory formation.

Main Methods:

Development of the dual-eGRASP (green fluorescent protein reconstitution across synaptic partners) technique.
Examination of synapses between CA3 and CA1 engram cells.
Assessment of contextual fear conditioning and long-term potentiation (LTP).

Main Results:

An increased number and size of dendritic spines were observed on CA1 engram cells receiving input from CA3 engram cells.
Enhanced connectivity between engram cells correlated with memory strength in contextual fear conditioning.
CA3 to CA1 engram projections significantly occluded long-term potentiation.

Conclusions:

Enhanced structural and functional connectivity between engram cells is the synaptic correlate for memory formation.
Specific synaptic changes in CA1 engram cells receiving input from CA3 engram cells are critical for encoding memory.