Researchers at Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute examined the hippocampus, the region of the brain involved in memory. They focused on regions CA2 and CA1, which are important for social memory and place memory, respectively. They found that CA2 helps mice remember whether past encounters with others were safe or risky.
Researchers genetically modified mice to suppress either CA1 or CA2 and found that each region had different effects on memory. When CA1 was turned off, the mice forgot where they were shocked but remembered the “human threat.” When CA2 was disabled, they remembered the location, but became listlessly afraid of all strangers.
These findings highlight the importance of CA2 in social memory and may contribute to a better understanding of social anxiety and PTSD, scientists say.
Source: Ferra
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