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Brain metabolic DNA (BMD) is continuously synthesized by reverse transcription in presynaptic synaptosomes and astroglia, and is partly transferred to nuclei after acquiring the double stranded configuration. Synthesis and turnover of BMD are markedly dependent on brain activity, as shown by circadian oscillations, environmental enrichment and impoverishment, and a variety of learning protocols. In rodents learning a two-way active avoidance task, BMD synthesis doubles, thus raising the possibility that sequences of learning BMD may differ from control BMD. The hypothesis has now been examined by sequencing cytoplasmic BMD. The present data indicate that most high-quality mapped BMD fragments hosting more than seven sequences are present in all mice. Three of them are exclusively present in learning BMD and four in control BMD. In addition, the annotated genes closest to them are mostly involved in modulating synaptic activity. The data support the conclusion that learning BMD sequences encode brain responses to the modified environment.

If we define ‘Thomas prejudice' as the habit of trusting only your own sensory capacities, prof. Filippo Bottazzi was imbued by it when rumors of the wondrous psychokinetic (PK) performances of Eusapia Palladino reached his ear at the turn of last century. Aiming to find out himself, he convinced distinguished professors of the Royal University of Naples to join him in a series of sessions held with Eusapia at the Institute of Physiology he directed. The outstanding data obtained in eight such sessions was masterfully described in a book Bottazzi published one century ago (1909). The main interest of these observations regards the instrumental recording of PK movements Eusapia learned to perform. Most notably, she succeded in simultaneously pressing two electric keys, one with the natural arm, the other with her anomalous limb. These and related observations convinced Bottazzi that PK events required Eusapia to extend and operate an anomalous limb endowed with sensory and motor features comparable to those of her natural arms. Such limb was controlled by the same brain/mind that modulated her natural arms.