04/10/2025
Memory is stored in cells throughout the body, not just the brain, according to a recent study that challenges the long-held belief that memory is confined to brain cells.
The research showed that even non-brain human cells ā specifically from nerve and kidney tissues ā can detect repeated information patterns, activate the same āmemory geneā used by neurons, and show learning behavior similar to what we see in the brain. The researchers sent chemical signals to non-brain cells in short bursts, like spaced-out study sessions. The cells lit up when a memory-related gene turned on. Signals sent with breaks triggered a stronger, longer response than signals sent all at once. This suggests even non-brain cells can react to repeated patterns, similar to how brain cells form memories.
The study also hints at practical implications: if other cells can "remember," this could influence how we treat diseases or design learning tools. For example, understanding what pancreatic cells remember about food patterns might help with glucose regulation, or knowing how cancer cells "remember" chemotherapy might impact treatment strategies.
While the findings donāt mean your kidneys have thoughts or memories like the brain does, they do suggest that memory-like functions are more distributed across the body than previously thought. This could change how we understand memory, learning, and even cell behavior. It also raises new questions about how much information the rest of the body is keeping track of.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-53922-x
