CEREBRAL GANGLIOSIDES AND MEMORY FORMATIO N

It is generally accepted that the process of molecular facilitation (= Bahnung) of neuronal circuits by means of stabilization of synaptic c ontacts represents the structural basis for memory formation. On the b asis of physiological, electron microscopic, biochemical, and physicoc hemical data, a concept is presented speaking in favor of the idea tha t interactions between brain gangliosides (= amphiphilic sialic acid-c ontaining glycosphingolipids with peculiar physicochemical properties) , calcium, and functional membraneous proteins (ion channels, ion pump s, receptors, kinases) play a crucial modulatory role in the transmiss ion and storage of information.