The brain needs to be able to forget in order to avoid developing serious mental disorders, a new study finds.
The next time you forget something trivial don't curse yourself but thank your lucky starts. A new study conducted by University of Basel researchers revealed that forgetting is important for the brain to avoid serious mental disorders.
Researchers stated that through memory loss, unnecessary information is deleted and the nervous system retains its plasticity, according to a press release. If the brain loses its ability to forget, retention of excessive data can lead to the development of serious mental disorders, just like a computer. When a computer is loaded with information, it stops functioning smoothly after a while. It starts hanging and becomes slower. Unless you delete some data, the problem persists.
The human brain is built in a similar way. Only necessary information is stored permanently-the rest is forgotten over time. Though scientists were aware of this process, it was only in this new study that a molecule responsible for regulating memory loss was discovered.
The molecule known as the musashi protein is responsible for the structure and function of the synaptic connections of the brain, the place where information is communicated from one neuron to the next.
For the research, scientists studied the learning abilities of genetically modified ringworms that didn't have this musashi protein. At the start of the study, researchers found no difference in the learning capabilities between the genetically modified and unmodified animals. However, after a certain duration they found that the genetically modified ringworms were able to retain information better and for longer durations.
Researchers also found that the protein was responsible for the synthesis of molecules responsible for the stabilization of synaptic connections. This connection played an important role in learning and remembering process. Researchers found that while the protein adducin stimulates the growth of synapses and, therefore, also helps to retain memory, the musashi protein stabilizes these synapses and facilitates memory loss. Hence, a perfect balance between these two proteins is crucial for the retention of memories.
According to researchers, further studies on the therapeutic possibilities of the musashi protein need to be conducted for it to be incorporated to develop drugs for treating diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Findings of the study were published in the scientific journal Cell.
