The research team explained that learning or experiencing new things activates neurons in the hippocampus, a region of the brain that is vital for memory. During sleep, the neurons repeat the same pattern of activity, and in this way “the brain consolidates new memories into a large region called the cortex.”
The study found that at certain times during deep sleep, certain parts of the hippocampus become silent, allowing these neurons to reset themselves.
“This mechanism may allow the brain to reuse the same resources, the same neurons, to learn new things the next day,” said study author Azahara Oliva, assistant professor of neuroscience and behavior.
The research team noted that the hippocampus is divided into three regions: CA1, CA2, and CA3. CA1 and CA3 are involved in encoding memories related to time and place, and have been well studied, while less is known about CA2. But the recent study found that it generates “hippocampal silence and reset” during sleep.
To achieve the latest results, the researchers implanted electrodes in the hippocampus of mice, allowing them to record neural activity during learning and sleep.
It turns out that during sleep, neurons in the CA1 and CA3 regions reproduce the same neural patterns that developed during daytime learning.
“We realized that there are other hippocampal states that happen during sleep, where everything is silenced,” Oliva said. “The CA1 and CA3 areas that were very active suddenly became quiet. It’s a reset of memory, and this state is generated by the central area, CA2.”
The research team believes it now has evidence to explore ways to erase negative or traumatic memories, which may then help treat conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
The study was published in the journal Science.
Source: Medical Express
#Sleep #important #vital #function #body
2024-08-17 23:34:04
