Cellular Memory Transmits

Did you know that cellular memory is passed on even when the cells are replaced? Studies at the University of Alabama in Birmingham have reported that long-term memories may be stored and preserved by the addition of chemical caps called methyl groups onto one’s DNA, a process called DNA methylation. It appears that short-term memories form in the hippocampus and slowly turn into long-term memories in the cortex. (http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20026845.000-memories-may-be-stored-on-your-dna.html?DCMP=NLC-nletter&nsref=mg20026845.000=)

Happy Cinco de Mayo

Do you know what Cinco de Mayo really commemmorates? Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo (the fifth of May)  is not Independence Day for the United States of Mexico. That occurs on September 16th. A Huffington Post report: According to David Hayes-Bautista, a professor of medicine and health services at UCLA and author of the newly released "El Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition,"  the holiday's history in the U.S. goes back to the Gold Rush when thousands of immigrants from Mexico, Central and South America came to California during the Civil War. Latino immigrants were concerned about the Union's lack of progress and Napoleon III's interests in helping the South (preservation of slavery). When Latino's defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla, the win served as a sign that their side could win.  In the years that followed, Latinos in California and the U.S. Northwest celebrated Cinco de Mayo with parades of people dressed in Civil War uniforms and gave speeches about the significance of the Battle of Puebla in the larger struggle for freedom. Over the succeeding decades, the celebration of Cinco de Mayo moved into Mexico and other areas. Today, let's remember its origins and the part Latinos played in the abolition-of-slavery movement.

Merilu Henner and HSAM

Previously known as hyperthymesia, Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory or HSAM is the newer label for a very few unusual individuals;  people who can recall vast amounts of detail related to personal experiences and events in their lives. You may have seen a TV interview with actress Merilu Henner, who has written a book about her unusual HSAMer ability. This type of memory appears not to focus on practiced mnemonic strategies or on calendrical calculations (used by some individuals with autism or savant syndrome). Rather, they rely on an automatic and often somewhat obsessive process linked to their own personal mental calendar.

Internet and Brain Stimulation

Did you know that brain-imaging studies suggest that for middle-aged and older people at least, using the internet helps boost brain power? According to Lead Researcher Dr. Gary Small at UCLA, internet searching engages complicated brain activity, which may help exercise and improve brain function. A simple, everyday task like searching the web appears to enhance brain circuitry in older adults. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7667610.stm

New Neurons

Did you know that both the brain and the body may be capable of generating new neurons? It has been reported for some time now that the adult brain is capable of generating new neurons. Researchers now hint that the adult heart may be able to perform a similar generation of new heart cells. This suggests that the body, under some circumstances, may be able to heal itself (at least at some level and for some period of time).

True or False?

Have you ever wondered about the differences between actual and false memories? False memories do have characteristics that differentiate them from actual true memories. False memories generally have more of an observer perspective (as compared to a field perspective), less emotional intensity, less visual imagery, fewer details about the original event, and less information about the consequences that followed the event.

Sleep Spindles and Learning

How much sleep are you giving your brain on a regular basis? Sleep spindles (bursts of brain waves) appear to network between key regions of the brain to help shift fact-based memories from the brain’s hippocampus (with limited storage space) to the brain's "hard drive" in the prefrontal cortex (with virtually unlimited storage space). The result is that the hippocampus is freed up to take in more data. According to UC Berkeley’s Matthew Walker, a lot of spindle-rich sleep occurs in the second half of the night, so if you sleep six hours or less, you may have fewer sleep spindles and might not be able to learn as much.