Study Finds Part Of Human Brain Where Memory Starts To Form

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The way a human brain function have been always a curious topic to decode. Researchers are yet to discover the mysteries of how the brain stores things and recollect memories. A recent study finds out that hippocampus, the part of the brain to store memory, is not the only part of the brain to create memories.

The Science has reported a study conducted by the Institute of Science and Technology (IST) in Austria about the memory formation in the brain. In the study, the researchers have reported that entorhinal cortex is capable of storing memory independent of the hippocampus. So far it was believed that hippocampus plays the important role in storing episodic memories in the brain while other parts have subordinating role only.

As per the information from the Medial News Today, episodic memory is the way in which brain store things when some event happens and that memory is unique for each individual. Many neurons called as plant cells are studded by hippocampus in the brain and the plant cells are connected to different physical movements of the body and its surroundings.

Medial entorhinal cortex is also known as MEC, which is arranged in a triangular pattern of grid cells also responds to the different surroundings like hippocampus.  MEC send inputs to the hippocampus. The process of memory storage happens in the hippocampus during sleep and while taking a break or pause from events. Until now it was believed that the hippocampus is alone capable of such process.

In a recent study conducted by Prof. Jozsef Csicsvari and his research team from IST, it is proved that Superficial layers of MEC are also capable to function like hippocampus. Prof. Jozsef Csicsvari says that "Until now, the entorhinal cortex has been considered subservient to the hippocampus in both memory formation and recall. But we show that the medial entorhinal cortex can replay the firing pattern associated with moving in a maze independent of the hippocampus. The entorhinal cortex could be a new system for memory formation that works in parallel to the hippocampus."

The first author of the study, Joseph O'Neil comments that both hippocampus and MEC has two different pathways to collect and store memories. And with this study, there is a huge possibility in the near future to find more things which are unknown or hidden from us about our brain.