Brain histamine state gates memory access (IMAGE)
Caption
Conceptual illustration of how slow fluctuations in brain histamine neuron activity may gate memory access from moment to moment. After mice learn that a sound cue predicts a sugar-water reward, the same cue can produce different behavioral responses depending on the ongoing histamine state. When histamine activity is high, memory-related circuit activity in the amygdala is more strongly engaged, making memory-guided licking more likely. When histamine activity is low, the same cue evokes weaker circuit activity and a weaker behavioral response. The study suggests that spontaneous histamine fluctuations set an internal brain state that makes stored memories easier or harder to access when a cue is presented.
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© Nagoya City University
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