NIH Research Matters May 14, 2007 Learning and Memories Restored
in Mice Two strategies boost new memory formation in mice and
restore access to old memories that had seemed lost, according
to a new study. The results raise the possibility that the
memories of people with dementia may not be forever gone, but
temporarily inaccessible. As our brains age, they inevitably
degenerate, making us less able to think as quickly or remember
as well. This degeneration can eventually lead to dementia, in
which intellectual function is so impaired that it interferes
with normal activities and relationships. Dementia can also be
caused by neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's
disease. Dr. Li-Huei Tsai of the Picower Institute for Learning
and Memory at Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads a team
that used genetic engineering to develop a type of mouse in
which age-dependent degeneration in the brain could be induced
with an additive to the diet. The team, which is partially
supported by NIH's National Inst