Work

Memory Gate Controlled by Contexts: Potential Key Structure That Could Link Small Associative Failures With Severe Cognitive Disorders

Year: 2025

Type: review

Abstract: Can the banal and transient forgetfulness that we all experience at some point in our lives give us clues about the neural mechanisms underlying the onset of severe dementia, such as Alzheimer´s disease (AD)? The hypothesis we propose suggests an affirmative answer. If access to the memory system (MS) depends on matching key input patterns to appropriate contexts, we postulate that if the matching does not occur, the MS is blocked by a neural gate. From empirical observations, we shift to neural models of memories and their modulation by contexts. Our approach provides a possible explanation for transient memory failures but also suggests that the memory gate (MG) can be a crucial neural module that triggers a cascade of events leading to conditions where AD becomes irreversible and catastrophic. This hypothesis suggests ways to slow down the progression of this disease and may be explored with currently available techniques.

Source: BioEssays

DOI: 10.1002/bies.70032

Authors: Eduardo Mizraji, Juan Lin, Andrés Pomi

Institutions: Universidad de la República de Uruguay, Washington College

Language: English

Topic: Memory and Neural Mechanisms

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $5,330