Until now, scientists mostly thought that only nerve cells in the brain, called neurons, were responsible for memories.
But this research found that another type of cells called pericytes, which are part of the body's blood vessels, also play a big role.
Let's find out more about it.
Researching pericytes
Pericytes are like the guardians of our small blood vessels, and they help keep our brain safe by controlling blood flow and preventing harmful stuff from getting into the brain.
This study, done by scientists at New York University, shows that pericytes team up with neurons to make sure our long-term memories work properly.
They found a special protein called insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) that's essential for making and keeping memories.
Surprisingly, it turns out that the highest levels of IGF2 in the brain come from pericytes, not neurons.
To figure this out, they did experiments with mice.
They taught some mice new things and found that when the mice learned, the pericytes in their brains made more IGF2.
This extra IGF2 helps the neurons do their memory job better.
Why it's important
This discovery could help us understand memory-related problems like Alzheimer's disease better and maybe find new ways to treat them.
However, more research is needed to learn even more about how pericytes and the blood vessels in our brains affect our memories.
