Researchers from The University of Queensland have discovered a new way ribonucleic acid (RNA) impacts fear-related learning and memory.
Professor Timothy Bredy from UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute said this is an exciting example of RNA’s role in fine-tuning the cellular functions in the brain.
In a paper published in Nature Communications, researchers demonstrated that a noncoding RNA known as Gas5 coordinates the trafficking and clustering of RNA molecules inside the long processes of neurons, and orchestrating neuronal excitability in real time that contributes to learning and memory.
“Understanding the complex world of RNA is a rapidly emerging area of neuroscience research, where we are constantly learning more about how different classes of RNA control the communication between and within brain cells,” Professor Bredy said.
“In this study, we found learning-related RNAs at the…
