"Uncovering the Link Between DNA Damage, Inflammation, and Memory Formation"

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine have discovered that DNA damage and brain inflammation play crucial roles in the formation of long-term memories within the hippocampus, challenging previous beliefs about inflammation in the brain. The activation of the Toll-Like Receptor 9 (TLR9) pathway following DNA damage in hippocampal neurons was found to be essential for memory encoding, cautioning against indiscriminate inhibition of this pathway due to its importance in memory formation and the potential risks of genomic instability.