Researchers from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
(CAMH) have identified a new role of a chemical involved in controlling the
genes underlying memory and learning.
"The brain is a plastic tissue, and we know that
learning and memory require various genes to be expressed," says CAMH
Senior Scientist Dr. Art Petronis, who is a senior author on the new study.
"Our research has identified how the chemical 5-hmC may be involved in the
epigenetic processes allowing this plasticity." Dr. Petronis is head of
the Krembil Family Epigenetics Laboratory in CAMH's Campbell Family Mental Health
Research Institute.