  In magnetic nanostructures one usually uses a magnetic field to commute
between two resistance (R) states. A less common but technologically more
interesting alternative to achieve R-switching is to use an electrical current,
preferably of low intensity. Such Current Induced Switching (CIS) was recently
observed in thin magnetic tunnel junctions, and attributed to electromigration
of atoms into/out of the insulator. Here we study the Current Induced
Switching, electrical resistance, and magnetoresistance of thin
MnIr/CoFe/AlO$_x$/CoFe tunnel junctions. The CIS effect at room temperature
amounts to 6.9% R-change between the high and low states and is attributed to
nanostructural rearrangements of metallic ions in the electrode/barrier
interfaces. After switching to the low R-state some electro-migrated ions
return to their initial sites through two different energy channels. A low
(high) energy barrier of $\sim$0.13 eV ($\sim$0.85 eV) was estimated. Ionic
electromigration then occurs through two microscopic processes associated with
different types of ions sites/defects. Measurements under an external magnetic
field showed an additional intermediate R-state due to the simultaneous
conjugation of the MR (magnetic) and CIS (structural) effects.
