Mnemonic Metamorphosis : Evidence for Persistence Memory Store beyond the brain in Regenerated Planarian Flatworms.

Presenter(s)

Joanna Raguraman

Abstract or Description

Each year, neurodegenerative diseases affect over 50 million people globally, making them the seventh leading cause of death worldwide. As these conditions continue to rise, finding potential solutions is crucial. Planaria, unique flatworms with the ability to regenerate lost body parts, including their heads and brains, retain memories even after regeneration, making them valuable subjects for studying neurodegeneration and memory retention.

This research aims to investigate the regenerative properties of planaria and the specialized cells responsible for this process. When a planarian's head is severed, it regenerates both its head and brain, with the new brain preserving old memories. This phenomenon is linked to specialized cells present throughout their bodies.

Two groups of planaria will be used: an experimental group and a control group. Each group will have two petri dishes, one for feeding and one for their home. The experimental group’s feeding dish will have a textured surface, while the control group’s dish will be smooth. The planaria will be trained over ten days, learning to associate the light environment with food, using hard-boiled egg yolk or liver as food and UV light to mimic sunlight.

After training, both groups will have their heads removed. Once the heads regenerate, the experiment will test whether the planaria retain the memory of eating in a textured environment. Future research will aim to develop methods to generate muscle memory in humans, helping individuals with neurodegenerative diseases perform daily tasks by storing minimal memory through muscle memory.