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Engram reactivation during memory retrieval predicts long-term memory performance in aged mice.

Kubra Gulmez Karaca¹, David V C Brito¹, Janina Kupke¹

¹Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Centre for Neurosciences (IZN), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.

Neurobiology of Aging

|March 1, 2021

Summary

Memory recall in aging depends on reactivating specific neuron groups (engram reactivation). This process is impaired in cognitively declining older mice, linking engram stability to age-related memory loss.

Keywords:

Aging Dentate gyrus Hippocampus Memory trace Neuronal ensembles Object location memory

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Aging Research
Cognitive Decline

Background:

Episodic memory, crucial for daily life, declines with age, particularly affecting long-term recall.
Hippocampal function is vital for memory formation and retrieval.
Memory traces (engrams) are thought to be stored in activated neuronal ensembles, recalled via their reactivation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether the reactivation of neuronal ensembles (engrams) predicts memory performance in aged mice.
To determine if engram reactivation is impaired in cognitively declining aged mice compared to young and unimpaired aged mice.

Main Methods:

Neuronal ensembles encoding object location recognition memory were labeled in the dentate gyrus.
Reactivation of these labeled ensembles during long-term memory recall was analyzed in young, impaired-aged, and unimpaired-aged mice.
Correlation between memory performance and the degree of engram reactivation was assessed in aged mice.

Main Results:

Reactivation of memory-encoding neuronal ensembles was disrupted in cognitively impaired-aged mice but not in unimpaired-aged mice.
Memory performance in aged mice positively correlated with the extent of engram reactivation during recall.
These findings highlight a link between engram reactivation efficiency and memory capabilities in aging.

Conclusions:

Recall-induced engram reactivation is a significant predictor of memory performance in aging.
Impaired neuronal ensemble stabilization and/or reactivation may underlie age-dependent cognitive decline.
This research provides insights into the neural mechanisms of memory aging and potential therapeutic targets.