Science, Space and Technology News 2024
A new study from Cornell University reveals that sleep not only consolidates memories but also resets the brain’s memory storage mechanism. This process, governed by specific regions in the hippocampus, allows neurons to prepare for new learning without being overwhelmed. This insight opens potential pathways for enhancing memory and treating neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and PTSD.
“This mechanism could allow the brain to reuse the same resources, the same neurons, for new learning the next day,” said Azahara Oliva, assistant professor of neurobiology and behavior and the paper’s corresponding author. The researchers implanted electrodes in the hippocampi of mice, which allowed them to record neuronal activity during learning and sleep. In this way, they could observe that, during sleep, the neurons in the CA1 and CA3 areas reproduce the same neuronal patterns that developed during learning during the day. But the researchers wanted to know how the brain continues learning each day without overloading or running out of neurons.
The researchers believe they now have the tools to boost memory, by tinkering with the mechanisms of memory consolidation, which could be applied when memory function falters, such as indisease. Importantly, they also have evidence for exploring ways to erase negative or traumatic memories, which may then help treat conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
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