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2021
In this striking image, Jonathan Clarke reveals the pyramidal neurons, the emblematic cells of the cortex, the very foundations of declarative memory.
Processors, encoders and transmitters, they translate our experiences into lasting traces, sculpting the brain with each memory.
Their synaptic plasticity, notably via long-term potentiation (LTP), enables them to strengthen certain connections according to activity, a key mechanism in memory formation.
But this architecture is also vulnerable.
In Alzheimer's disease, these connections deteriorate early.
In temporal epilepsy, excessive excitability can trigger seizures.
And in the face of chronic stress, their dendritic branches retract, affecting cognitive abilities.
This luminous network we observe here is much more than a cellular assembly: it's the living reflection of our learning, our emotions... and sometimes, our fragilities.
