Stimulating Single Events to Improve Alzheimers

In a time when Alzheimer's has become such a common problem amongst the aging population, scientists have been engaging in countless research to help improve the disease and find a cure. A recent study using rats shows that a single brief experience effectively stimulates neurons and genes associated with memory. Neuroscientist John Guzowksi set out to examine how neurons in the hippocampus, a structure in the brain critical to memory, react to single events. A gene called "Arc" within the hippocampus region is required to turn experiences into long-turn memory. Arc neurons are interrupted within the brains of rats with mental retardation and Alzheimer's disease. By turning on this Arc, fleeting experiences can be captured by the brain to form lasting memories. Understanding how the hippocampus works improves scientists' chances of finding a cure for Alzheimer's.