Worms regrow their decapitated heads, along with the memories inside
From
The Verge:
The researchers tested the memory of planarians by measuring how long
it took for them to reach food in a controlled setting. The small worms
dislike open spaces and bright lights — but they had been trained to
ignore it so that they could find their meals. Even after decapitation,
worms that had gone through training were able to overcome their fears
and start eating much faster than worms that hadn't been trained.
However, the memories didn't come back immediately. Each worm still had
to be reminded of its earlier knowledge, though it only took a single
lesson for it to all come back.
Why this happens is still unclear. Planarians' brains control their
behavior, but the researchers suggest that some of their memories might
be stored elsewhere in their body. Alternatively, they suggest that the
worms' original brain may have modified their nervous systems, and their
nervous systems may have then altered how the new brains formed during
regrowth.
No comments:
Post a Comment