dendritic spines in a mouse brain
Dendritic spines, the knob-like protrusions that seem to be essential for learning, glow brightly in this close-up of a mouse brain. Karen Zito Lab

From Molecules to Minds: UC Davis neuroscientists advance learning and memory research to decode how our brains work

  • by David Slipher
For astrophysicists, the final frontier is outer space, but ask a neuroscientist, and the greatest quest for scientific exploration lies within your brain.

Vastly more advanced than any supercomputer, the complexity and versatility of the human brain is awe-inspiring. Of all its abilities, learning from new experiences might be the most powerful and astounding feature. But how does learning occur? And how do we remember what we learn? 

These are the fundamental questions researchers at the UC Davis Center for Neuroscience are asking. To find answers, they’re investigating the brain at many levels—from the smallest molecules that make our brains work to the thought patterns that give our world meaning.

Read the full story to learn more about Karen Zitos' cellular neuroscience research

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