Scientists discover memory functions in body cells beyond the brain

Scientists have discovered that cells beyond the brain may also play a role in memory formation, a breakthrough that could transform our understanding of memory and lead to new treatments.

Researchers from New York University, led by Professor Nikolay V. Kukushkin, revealed that even kidney cells could "turn on" a memory-related gene—typically activated in the brain—when exposed to certain chemical signals. “Learning and memory are generally associated with brains and brain cells alone,” explained Kukushkin, “but our study shows other cells can learn and form memories, too.”

Published in Nature Communications, the study replicated the “massed-spaced effect”—where information retention improves when learned in spaced intervals—by using engineered cells that emit a glow when memory genes activate. When chemical pulses mimicked the brain’s neurotransmitter bursts, these non-brain cells exhibited memory responses similar to neurons, underscoring that memory mechanisms might be common across cell types.

These findings not only deepen memory research but hint at possible future health interventions. Kukushkin suggests this discovery could lead to therapies that treat various cells as “mini-brains,” potentially enhancing treatments for conditions such as diabetes and even cancer, by considering cells' memory-like functions.