新研究发现记忆不仅存在于大脑中
长久以来，人们普遍认为学习和记忆通常只与大脑有关。美国一项新研究表明，身体中的其他组织细胞也具有类似功能。这为了解记忆形成过程开辟了新途径，并为治疗与记忆有关的疾病等带来新可能。

Researchers from New York University studied two types of non-brain human cells: one from neural tissue and one from kidney tissue. They exposed these non-brain cells to different patterns of chemical signals, similar to how brain cells are exposed to neurotransmitters when we learn new information, to simulate the learning process over time. In response, the non-brain cells produced the same patterns as brain cells, activating a "memory gene."

To more intuitively monitor the memory and learning processes of non-brain cells, researchers have modified these cells to produce a luminescent protein that can indicate when "memory genes" are turned on and off.

Researchers have found that these non-brain cells can recognize the repetitive patterns of chemical pulses (used to simulate the surge of neurotransmitters in the brain). When pulses are sent at intervals, they activate "memory genes" more intensely than if the same number of pulses were sent all at once, and the activation lasts longer. This phenomenon is similar to the learning and memory capabilities of neurons in the brain, indicating that non-brain cells also possess learning and memory functions.

Researchers believe this indicates that learning ability is not exclusive to brain cells; in fact, it may be a fundamental characteristic of all cells. This discovery opens a new door to understanding how memory works and could lead to better methods for enhancing learning ability and treating diseases related to memory.