Memory engrams: Recalling the past and imagining the future

In 1904, Richard Semon introduced the term "engram" to describe the neural substrate for storing memories. An experience, Semon proposed, activates a subset of cells that undergo off-line, persistent chemical and/or physical changes to become an engram. Subsequent reactivation of this engr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2020-01, Vol.367 (6473)
Main Authors: Josselyn, Sheena A, Tonegawa, Susumu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ablation
Activation
Amygdala
Animals
Brain
Brain - cytology
Brain - physiology
Brain Chemistry
Brain research
Competition
Consolidation
Critical components
Cues
Dentate gyrus
Durability
Excitability
Extinction behavior
Hippocampus
Humans
Image manipulation
Implantation
Information processing
Learning
Memory
Memory Disorders - pathology
Memory Disorders - physiopathology
Mental Recall - physiology
Mice
Neural networks
Neuroimaging
Neurons
Neurons - chemistry
Neurons - physiology
New technology
Organic chemistry
Plasticity
Recall (Psychology)
Researchers
Retrieval
Rodents
Sensory Experience
Spine
Strength
Substrates
Synaptic density
Synaptic plasticity
Synaptic strength
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:In 1904, Richard Semon introduced the term "engram" to describe the neural substrate for storing memories. An experience, Semon proposed, activates a subset of cells that undergo off-line, persistent chemical and/or physical changes to become an engram. Subsequent reactivation of this engram induces memory retrieval. Although Semon's contributions were largely ignored in his lifetime, new technologies that allow researchers to image and manipulate the brain at the level of individual neurons has reinvigorated engram research. We review recent progress in studying engrams, including an evaluation of evidence for the existence of engrams, the importance of intrinsic excitability and synaptic plasticity in engrams, and the lifetime of an engram. Together, these findings are beginning to define an engram as the basic unit of memory.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.aaw4325