The identity of the protein which is key to developing long-term memory has been confirmed. say US scientists. The discovery may lead to advancements in treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and other people with memory loss. Scientists have suspected for a long time that the mBDNF protein plays a role in memory development. But the Institutes of Health team claims in the journal Science to have proved the protein is the key, using experiments on mouse brains. Protein mBDNF, which stands for mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor, is produced by a chemical reaction involving the enzyme plasmin and proBDNF. The team carried out a series of experiments on mice brains, which are easy to mutate, to see how the protein affected long-term memory and what was needed to create the protein.
