Thinking about the mechanics of how astrocytes produce discrete associations for a broad range of stimuli.
Discreteness of memory is an artifact of access to these non coding regions.
Cultural similarities/affinities are an artifact of similar DNA pairings across these non-coding regions.
Loss of access results in dementia.
Memory as a whole requires these non-coding regions for transfer/encoding to neurons.
While not directly encoded into peptides, control mitochondrial mechanics which do produce associated peptides.
Associated peptides swell the cell, until peptides are cleared no new “memory” can be created. Primary function of sleep, to shut down the creation of input stimuli peptides to clear them from cells.
If cells stay swollen too long, interferes with metabolic processes and long term may lead to metabolic issues or microglia freaking out and inducing apoptosis.