Scientists have announced they are now able to 'film' the brain as it forms memories.
Scientists have announced they are now able to 'film' the brain as it forms memories.
Researchers were able to give mRNA molecules, which are crucial to forming memories, fluorescent "tags", so they could be watched more easily.
The breakthrough technique means that scientists were able to look inside neurons without destroying them.
This so-called 'mouse model', developed at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at at Yeshiva University, could lead to a range of new studies of how the brain works and forms memories.
"It's noteworthy that we were able to develop this mouse without having to use an artificial gene or other interventions that might have disrupted neurons and called our findings into question," said Robert Singer, author of the two papers published in Nature.
The mice were not affected by the green proteins attached to the mRNA molecules, and were able to reproduce the authors said.
MedicalXpress has the detail about how the study was done, but the team also released the following video - apparently of memories directly in the process of being formed.