MEMORY GENES

Scientists are already striking gold thanks to the Allen brain Atlas.Dietrich Stephan,PhD,who directs neurogenomics research at the Translational Genomics research Institute (TGen)in phonix,has used it to learn more about a gene called Kibra,which affects our short-term memory.The Atlas revealed that the gene was activated in the hippocampus,a small sea-horse-shaped brain structure that helps store memories.tGen plans to market drugs to reduce age-related memory loss,including the common short-term sort that causes senior moments and lost car keys.