Making Memories in the Brain: Changing Synaptic Connections Forming a new memory involves physical changes in the brain. New synaptic connections are created, and old synaptic connections are weakened or eliminated. This photo shows a single rat neuron (Gross & others, 2013). The bright green and red spots dotting the dendrites extending from the cell body are synapses. As the brain processes information, synapses change. Ultimately, new memories are reflected in the evolving patterns of synaptic structure.
Don B. Arnold & Garrett G. Gross