Cellular memory
Cellular memory describes the concept that individual cells can have a memory.
Life Science and Medicine
Rats that voluntarily consume cocaine in a solution for a longer period of time show a change in synaptic activity that continues several months after withdrawal , which affects the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain's reward center. This effect, known as cellular memory , is considered to be partly responsible for relapses in previously treated addicts.
Recent scientific studies show that individual cells also have an at least short-term memory for external stimuli in the form of electricity or heat.
Alternative medicine and esotericism
In a study published in 2000, changes in behavior in ten heart transplant recipients were examined and compared with the personalities of the donors. In all cases, two to five new behavior patterns were found in the recipients , which the respective donor had also exhibited.
There are no other generally recognized scientific studies, so that the possible personality changes are viewed with skepticism by evidence-based medicine .
Individual evidence
- ^ Billy T. Chen et al .: "Cocaine but Not Natural Reward Self-Administration nor Passive Cocaine Infusion Produces Persistent LTP in the VTA". Neuron , July 31, 2008, accessed November 13, 2009 .
- ↑ Nicole Branan: "Cocaine Addiction stems from Desire, Not the Drug". Scientific American , October 2008, accessed November 13, 2009 .
- ^ "Single Brain Cell Can Hold a Memory". LiveScience (s) , January 25th 2009, accessed 13 November 2009 .
- ^ Philip Ball: "Cellular memory hints at the origins of intelligence". Nature , January 23, 2008, accessed November 13, 2009 .
- ^ Paul Pearsall, Gary ER Schwartz, Linda GS Russek: Changes in heart transplant recipients that parallel the personalities of their donors in Integrative Medicine in Spring 2000 doi: 10.1016 / S1096-2190 (00) 00013-5