The region responsible for memories has been identified in the brain, located in the lateral entorhinal cortex. This is where both the creation of new memories and their recall from memory occur. This result is the result of an international study published in the journal Cell Reports, led in Italy by the Institute of Neuroscience of the National Research Council and the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa. Understanding these fundamental mechanisms could provide new information to address neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Episodic memory is an essential function of the brain, as it allows us to form and recall complex memories that integrate details about events, times and places. The researchers, under the direction of Nicola Origlia of the Cnr-In, have clarified the role of the entorhinal cortex in this process, demonstrating that an increase in neuronal activity in this area is related to the formation of new memories.

Furthermore, researchers have observed that the same neurons reactivate when specific experiences are recalled. Francesca Tozzi and Stefano Guglielmo of the Scuola Normale Superiore, first authors of the study, point out that silencing these neurons can hinder the ability to recall memories. The entorhinal cortex is also one of the first brain areas to suffer damage in mild cognitive impairment, which represents an intermediate stage between normal aging and dementia, and is frequently compromised in Alzheimer’s disease. Origlia highlights that the decline of episodic memory is one of the early signs of neurodegenerative diseases. Understanding the neurobiological processes underlying the creation and recall of memories could provide new insights useful for counteracting the evolution of these pathologies. The importance of this study lies not only in its practical application for future therapies against Alzheimer’s, but also in its contribution to the general understanding of the mechanisms of human memory.