BETHESDA (USA): “A memory gene” may help explain why some people are better than others at recalling events. Researchers have discovered strong evidence that good or bad memory is at least to some extent inherited.

According to animal studies, a gene called BDNF is critical to brain mechanisms associated with learning. Scientists in the United States found that volunteers with one of two subtly different variants of the gene performed better in a memory test. Scans also showed slightly less activity in the brain’s memory centre, the hippocampus, in people with the other variant.

BDNF makes a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor. In humans, it can be inherited in two forms, named “val” and “met” after their chemical differences. A study of more than 600 people showed that those with the “val” variant scored higher in a story recall memory test than those with the “met” variant.

The test assessed how well a person could remember episodic events. Gene type had no significant effect on other kinds of memory, such as semantic and working memory. Unlike episodic memory, semantic memory does not have to involve recalling when and where something happened. Working memory is basically short-term memory, used in everyday tasks.—dpa