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    An engram of intentionally forgotten information
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    Engram
    The mechanism of memory remains one of the great unsolved problems of biology. Grappling with the question more than a hundred years ago, the German zoologist Richard Semon formulated the concept of the engram, lasting connections in the brain that result from simultaneous “excitations”, whose precise physical nature and consequences were out of reach of the biology of his day. Neuroscientists now have the knowledge and tools to tackle this question, however, and this Forum brings together leading contemporary views on the mechanisms of memory and what the engram means today.
    Engram
    Memory Formation
    Citations (345)
    Abstract The investigation of the physical traces of memories (engrams) has made significant progress in the last decade due to optogenetics and fluorescent cell tagging applied in rodents. Engram cells were identified. The ablation of engram cells led to the loss of the associated memory, silent memories were reactivated, and artificial memories were implanted in the brain. Human engram research lags behind engram research in rodents due to methodological and ethical constraints. However, advances in multivariate analysis techniques of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data and machine learning algorithms allowed the identification of stable engram patterns in humans. In addition, MRI scanners with an ultrahigh field strength of 7 Tesla (T) have left their prototype state and became more common around the world to assist human engram research. Although most engram research in humans is still being performed with a field strength of 3T, fMRI at 7T will push engram research. Here, we summarize the current state and findings of human engram research and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of applying 7 versus 3T fMRI to image human memory traces.
    Engram
    Human brain
    Citations (8)
    Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic form of intellectual disability (ID). The cellular and molecular mechanisms contributing to ID in DS are not completely understood. Recent evidence indicates that a given memory is encoded by sparsely distributed neurons, highly activated during learning, the engram cells. Intriguingly, mechanisms that are of paramount importance for engram formation are impaired in DS. Here we explored engram formation in a DS mouse model, the Ts65Dn and we found a reduced number of engram cells in the dentate gyrus (DG), suggesting reduced neuronal allocation to engrams. We also show that trisomic engram cells present reduced number of mature spines than WT engram cells and their excitability is not enhanced during memory recall. In fact, activation of engram cells using a chemogenetic approach does not recover memory deficits in Ts65Dn. Altogether, our findings suggest that perturbations in engram neurons may play a significant role in memory alterations in DS.
    Engram
    Impaired memory
    Memory Formation
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    Abstract The brain stores and recalls memories through a set of neurons, termed engram cells. However, it is unclear how these cells are organized to constitute a corresponding memory trace. We established a unique imaging system that combines Ca 2+ imaging and engram identification to extract the characteristics of engram activity by visualizing and discriminating between engram and non-engram cells. Here, we show that engram cells detected in the hippocampus display higher repetitive activity than non-engram cells during novel context learning. The total activity pattern of the engram cells during learning is stable across post-learning memory processing. Within a single engram population, we detected several sub-ensembles composed of neurons collectively activated during learning. Some sub-ensembles preferentially reappear during post-learning sleep, and these replayed sub-ensembles are more likely to be reactivated during retrieval. These results indicate that sub-ensembles represent distinct pieces of information, which are then orchestrated to constitute an entire memory.
    Engram
    Mammalian brain
    Citations (147)
    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.
    Engram
    Citations (792)
    The nationally-recognized Susquehanna Chorale will delight audiences of all ages with a diverse mix of classic and contemporary pieces. The ChoraleAƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚¢AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚€AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚™s performances have been described as AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚¢AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚€AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚œemotionally unfiltered, honest music making, successful in their aim to make the audience feel, to be moved, to be part of the performance - and all this while working at an extremely high musical level.AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚¢AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚€AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚ƒAƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚ƒAƒÂ‚A‚‚AƒÂƒA‚‚AƒÂ‚A‚ Experience choral singing that will take you to new heights!
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