Molecular scaffold could support the brain’s memory
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029308
Science : The neurons in our brains are enmeshed in a web-like tissue known as the perineuronal net (PNN). Although the PNN was first identified in 1898, its role has remained obscure—until now. Research conducted by Sakina Palida of the University of California, San Diego, and her collaborators is accumulating evidence in favor of the notion that the PNN underlies long-term memory. Palida’s team has found that the PNN is made up of relatively long-lived proteins linked to sugars and that holes that develop in the PNN make it possible for neurons to make new synaptic connections. What’s more, contrary to previous assumptions, the PNN pervades the brain. According to a talk that Palida gave at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, the new data suggest that the PNN is an ideal substrate for maintaining memory over time.