Abstract
Associative learning and memory are common activities in life, and their cellular infrastructures constitute the basis of cognitive processes. Although neuronal plasticity emerges after memory formation, basic units and their working principles for the storage and retrieval of associated signals remain to be revealed. Current reports indicate that associative memory cells, through their mutual synapse innervations among the co-activated sensory cortices, are recruited to fulfill the integration, storage and retrieval of multiple associated signals, and serve associative thinking and logical reasoning. In this review, we aim to summarize associative memory cells in their formation, features and functional impacts.
Highlights
Associative learning and memory are common activities in life, and their cellular infrastructures constitute the basis of cognitive processes
The downstream molecules and signaling pathways of these epigenetic events that regulate synapse formation and neuron/synapse activities are presumably contributing to the recruitment of associative memory cells, which remains to be tested
The formation of associative memory cells in terms of number and distributed areas is affected by the excitatory state of the brain
Summary
Any reports and responses or comments on the article can be found at the end of the article. They receive new synapse innervations from the co-activated sensory cortices besides their innate sensory input for the integration and storage of associated innate and new signals Their axons project to brain areas that control behavior, cognition and emotion to initiate memory presentations. The associations of previously stored associative signals in sensory cortices may lead to recruited associative memory cells (i.e., primary associative memory cell) making mutual synapse innervations among them and convergent innervating downstream neurons. In their downstream brain areas, the neurons begin to encode dual associative signals and are recruited to be new associative memory cells (i.e., secondary associative memory cells). The downstream molecules and signaling pathways of these epigenetic events that regulate synapse formation and neuron/synapse activities are presumably contributing to the recruitment of associative memory cells, which remains to be tested
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