Brain cells at work

Have you ever wondered how your brain so quickly stores information, such as an image or a word you learned? You see a picture and one moment latter you have it in your mind. What happens at a molecule level?  How specifically does this brain cell adapt to sensory inputs? With the use of micro technology Dr. Ehlers of Duke is exploring this on an organic chemical – individual cell level.  Elhers tries to look at how we are able to store memories, words images in our cells, whilst the molecules in our brains are being replaced everyday.

In the lab, Ehlers demonstrated different methods neurons use to self-regulate electrical activity, adjusting the level of protein receptors in the postsynaptic membrane to strengthen connections with neighboring neurons (a key feature of learning and memory) or dampen them, allowing the neuron to “reset.” He showed recently that cell structures called recycling endosomes trigger a prolonged burst in a neuron’s electrical activity by causing a surge in so-called AMPA receptors. He also demonstrated that neurons increase their sensitivity by “alternate splicing” of NMDA receptors to generate extra variants. Ehlers plans to use biochemical, optical imaging, and biophysical approaches to probe the internal organization of neurons, including the nanoarchitecture of brain synapses, to reveal fundamental mechanics of brain cell communication.

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