New study shows how brain links memories of sequential events

Neuroscientists have found how two neural circuits in the brain work together to control the formation of time-linked memories.

Susumu Tonegawa, the Picower Professor of Biology and Neuroscience, said that this is a critical ability that helps the brain to determine when it needs to take action to defend against a potential threat.

The study has shown that it is important for us to be able to associate things that happen with some temporal gap.

Tonegawa conducted the study on mice and identified a brain circuit necessary to link memories of two events, a tone and a mild electric shock that occur up to 20 seconds apart.

The interaction of these two circuits allows the brain to maintain a balance between becoming too easily paralyzed with fear and being too careless.

The study was published in journal Science.