How Memories Are Made And Lost In The Brain – Professor Don Kulasiri, Lincoln University
Original Article Reference
This SciPod is a summary of the papers ‘Modelling the dynamics of CaMKII–NMDAR complex related to memory formation in synapses: The possible roles of threonine 286 autophosphorylation of CaMKII in long term potentiation’, published in the Journal of Theoretical Biology, DOI:10.1016/j.jtbi.2014.11.001; ‘Modelling bidirectional modulations in synaptic plasticity: A biochemical pathway model to understand the emergence of long term potentiation (LTP) and long term depression (LTD)’, published in the Journal of Theoretical Biology, DOI:10.1016/j.jtbi.2016.05.015; and ‘Computational investigation of Amyloid-β-induced location- and subunit-specific disturbances of NMDAR at hippocampal dendritic spine in Alzheimer’s disease’, published in the journal PLOS ONE, DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0182743.
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About this episode
Our brain forms long-term memories and stores information through synaptic plasticity, the ability of the connections between neurons to be strengthened or weakened over time. However, the exact methods through which synaptic plasticity is achieved by the brain remain largely unknown in the scientific community. Professor Don Kulasiri at Lincoln University, New Zealand, is using a mathematical modelling approach to shed light into this process. His findings are providing molecular insights into how memories can be strengthened or lost.
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