Neuroscientists have uncovered a new mechanism for memory formation, and it involves changes in the structure of your DNA.If you were asked to picture a molecule of DNA, chances are you would visualize a long, straight, right-handed double helix—the type you were taught in science class. It's well established that, in order to 'read' or copy this molecule, our DNA needs to be unzipped and unwound, thus deviating from this well-known structure.
This structure has previously been shown to play a role in switching genes on and off, but its involvement in experience-dependent gene expression—the kind involved in memory formation—was still unclear.By studying a group of mice, the team found that this particular structure state accumulates in brain cells during periods of learning.
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