Deleting a certain gene in mice can make them smarter by unlocking a mysterious region of the brain considered to be relatively inflexible

Mice with a disabled RGS14 gene are able to remember objects they'd explored and learn to navigate mazes better than regular mice, suggesting that RGS14's presence limits some forms of learning and memory. RGS14 is primarily turned on in one particular part - called CA2 - of the hippocampus, a region of the brain known for decades to be involved in consolidating new learning and forming new memories.