'Memory transplant' successful for snails

Sea slug used in experiments by American scientists - Photo: DAVID GLANZMAN

According to BBC (UK), the results of this interesting research have just been published in the scientific journal eNeuro, providing new data for scientists to study the physical foundation of memory.

Accordingly, the research team was able to successfully transfer information stored in the memory of a sea snail to another snail of the same species, scientifically named Aplysia californica, by transferring RNA (Ribonucleic acid, one of two types of nucleic acid, which is the molecular genetic basis) from one snail to another.

A group of snails were trained to have a conditioned defense reflex that automatically curls up when electrocuted. Then, when the RNA of this "trained" group of snails was transferred to a group of "untrained" snails, the latter group automatically acquired the same defense reflex as the first group.

Specifically in this study, scientists found that the time it took for trained snails to contract their bodies in defense was 50 seconds, while untrained ones only had about 1 second. Meanwhile, those implanted with RNA had a reflex contraction time of 40 seconds even though they had never been through the training phase.

The team also saw similar effects when they worked with touch-sensitive neurons in the lab.

Professor David Glanzman of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) - one of the authors of the study, said the results showed "as if we were able to transfer memories".