A connection between smells and memories has been established. Free Technical Library News

NEWS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NOVELTY IN ELECTRONICS
Free technical library / timeline

Established the connection of odors with memories

06.08.2018

Neuroscientists at the University of Toronto have described how the brain works to form vivid memories that include smells and associated associations.

The process of forming complex memories is associated with the interaction of the hippocampus and the anterior olfactory nucleus (anterior olfactory nucleus, AON), located in the forebrain. The hippocampus is responsible for the consolidation of memories, that is, the process of their transition from short-term memory to long-term memory. The hippocampus also provides spatial memory - stores information that allows you to navigate the terrain. AON plays an important role in the perception of aromas, but remains poorly understood.

To investigate the role of the AON and the hippocampus in memory formation, the authors of the new work used the tendency of mice to carefully sniff unfamiliar odors and pay little attention to familiar odors. When mice forget a certain smell, it again begins to arouse interest in rodents.

During the experiments, the animals were placed in cages containing containers with various flavors: the smells of garlic, banana, coffee, and other products. At the first stage of the experiment, the mouse was placed in a cage with two containers with different odors, then the animal was placed in a medium with two identical samples. Rodents, in which scientists artificially "turned off" the neural pathways connecting the AON and the hippocampus, studied both duplicate odors for the same length of time - they did not remember the first sample. The control group of mice quickly identified the repetition and did not pay attention to the second container.

In the following experiments, mice were attracted not only by the novelty of the smell, but also by the changed position of one of the containers or the new sequence of containers in the room. At the same time, rodents with damaged connections between the AON and the hippocampus still did not notice the difference between the new and old environments.

Earlier studies have shown that loss of the ability to distinguish smells may be one of the early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, and AON is rapidly degraded in the early stages of the disease. The new data can be used to create more effective diagnostic tests.

<< Back: BLE module for the Internet of Things ST Microelectronics SPBTLE-1S 06.08.2018

>> Forward: XSPC TX Series Ultra-thin Heatsinks 05.08.2018

Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:

The existence of an entropy rule for quantum entanglement has been proven 09.05.2024

Quantum mechanics continues to amaze us with its mysterious phenomena and unexpected discoveries. Recently, Bartosz Regula from the RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing and Ludovico Lamy from the University of Amsterdam presented a new discovery that concerns quantum entanglement and its relation to entropy. Quantum entanglement plays an important role in modern quantum information science and technology. However, the complexity of its structure makes understanding and managing it challenging. Regulus and Lamy's discovery shows that quantum entanglement follows an entropy rule similar to that for classical systems. This discovery opens new perspectives in the field of quantum information science and technology, deepening our understanding of quantum entanglement and its connection to thermodynamics. The results of the study indicate the possibility of reversibility of entanglement transformations, which could greatly simplify their use in various quantum technologies. Opening a new rule ... >>

Mini air conditioner Sony Reon Pocket 5 09.05.2024

Summer is a time for relaxation and travel, but often the heat can turn this time into an unbearable torment. Meet a new product from Sony - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-air conditioner, which promises to make summer more comfortable for its users. Sony has introduced a unique device - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-conditioner, which provides body cooling on hot days. With it, users can enjoy coolness anytime, anywhere by simply wearing it around their neck. This mini air conditioner is equipped with automatic adjustment of operating modes, as well as temperature and humidity sensors. Thanks to innovative technologies, Reon Pocket 5 adjusts its operation depending on the user's activity and environmental conditions. Users can easily adjust the temperature using a dedicated mobile app connected via Bluetooth. Additionally, specially designed T-shirts and shorts are available for convenience, to which a mini air conditioner can be attached. The device can oh ... >>

Energy from space for Starship 08.05.2024

Producing solar energy in space is becoming more feasible with the advent of new technologies and the development of space programs. The head of the startup Virtus Solis shared his vision of using SpaceX's Starship to create orbital power plants capable of powering the Earth. Startup Virtus Solis has unveiled an ambitious project to create orbital power plants using SpaceX's Starship. This idea could significantly change the field of solar energy production, making it more accessible and cheaper. The core of the startup's plan is to reduce the cost of launching satellites into space using Starship. This technological breakthrough is expected to make solar energy production in space more competitive with traditional energy sources. Virtual Solis plans to build large photovoltaic panels in orbit, using Starship to deliver the necessary equipment. However, one of the key challenges ... >>

New method for creating powerful batteries 08.05.2024

With the development of technology and the expanding use of electronics, the issue of creating efficient and safe energy sources is becoming increasingly urgent. Researchers at the University of Queensland have unveiled a new approach to creating high-power zinc-based batteries that could change the landscape of the energy industry. One of the main problems with traditional water-based rechargeable batteries was their low voltage, which limited their use in modern devices. But thanks to a new method developed by scientists, this drawback has been successfully overcome. As part of their research, scientists turned to a special organic compound - catechol. It turned out to be an important component that can improve battery stability and increase its efficiency. This approach has led to a significant increase in the voltage of zinc-ion batteries, making them more competitive. According to scientists, such batteries have several advantages. They have b ... >>

Alcohol content of warm beer 07.05.2024

Beer, as one of the most common alcoholic drinks, has its own unique taste, which can change depending on the temperature of consumption. A new study by an international team of scientists has found that beer temperature has a significant impact on the perception of alcoholic taste. The study, led by materials scientist Lei Jiang, found that at different temperatures, ethanol and water molecules form different types of clusters, which affects the perception of alcoholic taste. At low temperatures, more pyramid-like clusters form, which reduces the pungency of the "ethanol" taste and makes the drink taste less alcoholic. On the contrary, as the temperature increases, the clusters become more chain-like, resulting in a more pronounced alcoholic taste. This explains why the taste of some alcoholic drinks, such as baijiu, can change depending on temperature. The data obtained opens up new prospects for beverage manufacturers, ... >>

Random news from the Archive

Temperature and synthesis of pure polymers 01.10.2020

Florida State University researchers have figured out how temperature during the synthesis process affects the properties of the final polymer. The discovery will help create new environmentally friendly plastics.

Plastics made from petroleum and other non-renewable resources can take centuries or millennia to decompose. All because of the stability of their structure, due to strong bonds between long molecular chains. These bonds, as well as the position of the chains, are formed in the process of synthesis. Therefore, the final properties of the polymer also depend on the synthesis conditions.

Finding the right temperature is key to getting the best materials that can replace inexpensive petroleum-based polymers with economically viable, environmentally friendly materials.

As an object of study, scientists used polyacetals with large internodal distances. This class of polymers is most often used for the production of various kinds of plastics. As a rule, these materials are obtained from environmentally friendly biomass. However, they are durable and break apart more easily in water.

The researchers found that upon rapid cooling, the polyacetals become rigid and crystallize, and their molecules self-assemble into a specific phase, which the scientists called "Form I". When slowly cooled, the material also becomes crystalline, but the resulting crystals have a different structure and scientists call them "form II". If the polymer is cooled at intermediate temperatures, the material does not harden at all. According to the researchers, this phenomenon has never been observed in any other crystalline polymers.

See full Archive of science and technology news, new electronics

All languages of this page

Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews