Swiss scientists have discovered that forgotten memories can remain stored in the brain in a silent form that can later be restored, according to a study in fruit flies reported by The Independent.
Researchers noted that memories are imperfect because some fade over time while others stay hidden. They stated that the neuronal processes regulating the recovery of true memory and the formation of false memory remain poorly understood, adding that the study provides new clues about memory function.
In one experiment, scientists trained fruit flies to associate a specific odor with mild electric shocks. The flies avoided the odor immediately, but the learned avoidance vanished after 24 hours and appeared forgotten.
When researchers recreated the original training conditions and exposed the flies to the same odor, the unpleasant memory returned and the flies avoided the scent again. This reminder worked only when the original lighting and texture of the training chamber were reproduced.
Scientists observed that while the initial pattern of nerve activity faded over time, a silent memory trace remained across different groups of neurons. They explained that reminders reactivate this silent state to restore memory expression by reviving the original memory trace.
False Memory Formation
The study also revealed that flies could form false memories. In a separate test, flies encountered a different odor that was never paired with electric shocks, but they later avoided this harmless scent when scientists used it as a reminder.
Researchers explained that manipulating reminders can distort the recovery process and create false memories. They discovered that the brain pathways involved in false memory formation differ from those used to recover true memories, showing that the brain processes restored and distorted memories through separate neural circuits.
While acknowledging that fly memory differs from human memory, scientists stated that the findings demonstrate how remembering depends on the context of stored information. They concluded that forgotten memories can reemerge through a reconstructive process.
Diabetes Drug Heart Risk Study
Separately, news agency UNIAN reported a new health study showing that the drug Mounjaro can reduce heart attack risks in people with type 2 diabetes. Mounjaro, a GLP-1 receptor agonist also known as tirzepatide, is used by the National Health Service to treat type 2 diabetes and severe obesity.
Patients receiving Mounjaro were 33 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack compared to those taking other type 2 diabetes medications. The study involved nearly 53,000 people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Researchers tracked major adverse cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes, comparing Mounjaro against another common diabetes medication, sitagliptin. After one year, the risk of these cardiovascular events was 2.9 percent for patients taking Mounjaro, compared to 4.4 percent for those in the sitagliptin group.
