CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas- When it comes to memory, humans may be more like snails than elephants and this could, someday, help researchers better understand cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
“Understanding how memories are formed and maintained is one of the major questions in modern neuroscience. This question is difficult to answer in the human brain because of is enormous complexity,” said Dr. Riccardo Mozzachiodi, Associate Professor at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. “Therefore, studying memory in simple animals, like snails, is crucial in providing insights about learning and memory in humans”.
November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Caregiver Month. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, over five million American’s are living with the disease and another 15 million are caregivers. Alzheimer’s attacks the brain and causes memory loss, leaving victims with the inability to successfully complete everyday tasks. With Mozzachiodi’s research findings on the basic mechanisms of memory, we are a small step closer to understanding how this disease causes memory loss.
Mozzachiodi has spent more than 15 years studying memory in snails and wrote a chapter for a book entitled “Invertebrate Learning and Memory.” The book, published by Academic Press, was released on Amazon in early August. In his chapter “Comparison of Operant and Classical Conditioning of Feeding Behavior in Aplysia”, Mozzachiodi reviews the work conducted by him and colleagues on the mechanisms of elementary forms of learning in the marine snails Aplysia.
During his lab research, large marine snails are tested with injections to check their short-term memory. Mozzachiodi says this type of testing helps scientists better understand illnesses and the overall physiology of the human body and mind. Mozzachiodi was chosen by the editors of the book to write this chapter because of his two decades of research in this area. He hopes his research will continue to put mankind on the map to understanding and curing diseases of the brain. Mozzachiodi joined the Texas A&M- Corpus Christi faculty in August 2007 as an Assistant Professor of Neuroscience. He received his Ph.D. at the University of Pisa in Pisa, Italy, and was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston.
About Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi: Offering more than 60 of the most popular degree programs in the state, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi has proudly provided a solid academic reputation, renowned faculty, and highly-rated degree programs since 1947. The Island University has earned its spot as a premier doctoral-granting institution, supporting two institutes and 13 research centers and labs. Discover your island at http://www.tamucc.edu/.
About the College of Science and Engineering: This college is in the race for discovery with research programs such as the premier Geographic Information Science (GIS) program in the country through the College’s Conrad Blucher Institute, the innovative Plasma Engineering Research Lab, and a nationally-certified Computer Science program. As one of the foremost institutions for coastal, marine and environmental research, the College offers two doctoral degrees in these areas and is also home to the Center for Coastal Studies. Students and faculty in the College are affiliated with the University’s world-renowned Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies. From cyber-security to lunar robotics, from underwater exploration to the development of unmanned aerial technologies, our commitment to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers is unparalleled. When our students graduate they command not only respect, but also the top salaries in their fields.
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