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Making Learning Last

How do short-term memories turn into learning that lasts for the long haul? Molecular biologists are beginning to shed light on this question.

Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is believed to be the fundamental mechanism by which learning creates a long-term memory. When glutamate, the brain's major excitatory neuroSchwartznsmitter, is released at synapses and locks onto receptors on receiving cells, it triggers the opening of tiny channels in the cells that allow calcium ions to flood in. The influx of calcium sets off a cascade of changes. It pulls more receptors to the cell's surface and causes the receptors to stay open longer, and it triggers changes in the shape of the dendritic spine. Each of these actions makes the synapse more sensitive to the next wave of glutamate, potentiating or intensifying the process with each repetition.

There is a race on in biomedical circles and the pharmaceutical industry to unravel the precise steps involved in LTP and develop drug compounds to modulate the process. Theoretically, the right pharmaceutical at the right time could interrupt the formation of long-term memories, which would be useful in preventing post-traumatic stress disorder or quelling intrusive memories. On the flip side, enhancing LTP might improve or speed up learning; so-called "cognitive-enhancing drugs" are being hotly pursued.