Cutting-edge RNA technologies to advance the understanding of learning and memory

Abstract

Following the recent emergence of RNA as a therapeutic tool, and coupled with an explosion in the development of new RNA technologies, it is rapidly becoming clear that the 21st century is the era of RNA. Neuroscience as a discipline has a long history of embracing new technology to advance the understanding of brain function, particularly in the context of learning and memory. In this short review, we highlight four broad categories of emerging RNA technologies, namely: imaging, isolation, identification and manipulation, and discuss their potential to advance the fundamental understanding of how RNA impacts experience-dependent plasticity, learning, and memory.