Ancient Genes: Tracing Learning and Memory Back 650 Million Years

Genes essential for learning, memory, aggression, and other complex behaviors originated around 650 million years ago, according to a study by researchers from the University of Leicester. These genes are involved in the production, modulation, and reception of monoamines like serotonin, dopamine, and adrenaline. The discovery suggests that this new method of modulating neuronal circuits could have played a role in the Cambrian Explosion, contributing to the diversification of life. This finding offers new research avenues to understand the origins of complex behaviors and their relation to diverse processes like reward, addiction, aggression, feeding, and sleep.