Unveiling Transcriptional and Epigenetic Mechanisms Within Engram Cells: Insights into Memory Formation and Stability.

Memory traces for behavioral experiences, such as fear conditioning or taste aversion, are believed to be stored through biophysical and molecular changes in distributed neuronal ensembles across various brain regions. These ensembles are known as engrams, and the cells that constitute them are referred to as engram cells. Recent advancements in techniques for labeling and manipulating neural activity have facilitated the study of engram cells throughout different memory phases, including acquisition, allocation, long-term storage, retrieval, and erasure.

CBP Is Required for Establishing Adaptive Gene Programs in the Adult Mouse Brain.

Environmental factors and life experiences impinge on brain circuits triggering adaptive changes. Epigenetic regulators contribute to this neuroadaptation by enhancing or suppressing specific gene programs. The paralogous transcriptional coactivators and lysine acetyltransferases CREB binding protein (CBP) and p300 are involved in brain plasticity and stimulus-dependent transcription, but their specific roles in neuroadaptation are not fully understood.

Transcriptome and epigenome analysis of engram cells: Next-generation sequencing technologies in memory research.

Transcription and epigenetic changes are integral components of the neuronal response to stimulation and have been postulated to be drivers or substrates for enduring changes in animal behavior, including learning and memory. Memories are thought to be deposited in neuronal assemblies called engrams, i.e.