"A mechanism for memory encoding has now been found."

Reshared post from +Jonathan Langdale

"A mechanism for memory encoding has now been found."

Research team posits theory that memory could be encoded in the 3 dimensional structure of the neuron cell.

"Memory is attributed to strengthened synaptic connections among particular brain neurons, yet synaptic membrane components are transient, whereas memories can endure. This suggests synaptic information is encoded and ‘hard-wired’ elsewhere, e.g. at molecular levels within the post-synaptic neuron."

"The team looked into structures at the cytoskeletal level of brain structure. They found components that fit together and were capable of creating the information processing and storage capacity that the brain needs to form and retain memory."

Microtubules fill the interiors of our brain's neurons, especially in axons and dendrites where most of the activity takes place. We undertook to find out if this similarity is accidental or not. This led to the generation of a very accurate computational model of the interaction between CaMKII and microtubules. It looks to us that a mechanism for memory encoding has now been found.

The cytoskeleton (also CSK) is a cellular "scaffolding" or "skeleton" contained within a cell's cytoplasm and is made out of protein. The cytoskeleton is present in all cells; it was once thought to be unique to eukaryotes, but recent research has identified the prokaryotic cytoskeleton.

Cytoskeleton Microtubules
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Btub.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytoskeleton#Microtubules

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-memories-encoded-brains.html

Figures from their paper:
https://plus.google.com/109667384864782087641/posts/BSgTpqrFeoa

Their paper:
http://www.ploscompbiol.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002421

The team:

Stuart Hameroff
Departments of Anesthesiology and Psychology, Center for Consciousness Studies, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America

Travis J. A. Craddock
Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

Jack A. Tuszynski
Department of Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, Canada

This may also eventually lead to a better understanding of the mechanism behind Alzheimer's disease and it's progression:

"Another paper has been just accepted for publication, based on our collaboration with University of Arizona, Harvard and Boston University, where we propose a molecular mechanism of Alzheimer’s disease progression."

And finally there's another paper related to anesthetic molecules blocking the brian's microtubules:

"A third paper in this series stemming from Travis Craddock’s PhD thesis discusses the effects of anesthetic molecules on memory blockage in brain’s microtubules."

This is another paper I found from 2010 or so from the same group:

“MEMORY BYTES” — MOLECULAR MATCH FOR CaMKII PHOSPHORYLATION ENCODING OF MICROTUBULE LATTICES
http://www.quantumconsciousness.org/documents/membytespublished.pdf

All about microtubules:
https://plus.google.com/109667384864782087641/posts/ASco6RXSCjU
.

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