Divergent recruitment of developmentally defined neuronal ensembles supports memory dynamics.

Abstract

Memories are dynamic constructs whose properties change with time and experience. The biological mechanisms underpinning these dynamics remain elusive, particularly concerning how shifts in the composition of memory-encoding neuronal ensembles influence the evolution of a memory over time. By targeting developmentally distinct subpopulations of principal neurons, we discovered that memory encoding resulted in the concurrent establishment of multiple memory traces in the mouse hippocampus. Two of these traces were instantiated in subpopulations of early- and late-born neurons and followed distinct reactivation trajectories after encoding. The divergent recruitment of these subpopulations underpinned gradual reorganization of memory ensembles and modulated memory persistence and plasticity across multiple learning episodes. Thus, our findings reveal profound and intricate relationships between ensemble dynamics and the progression of memories over time.