A new study has found that stimulating the brain during sleep can improve memory. The study involved 18 people with severe epilepsy, who scored higher on a memory test if they received deep brain stimulation while they slept. The stimulation was delivered during non-REM sleep, when the brain strengthens memories it expects to use in the future. The stimulation was designed to synchronize the activity in two brain areas involved in memory consolidation: the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex. The results suggest a new approach to helping people with a range of sleep and memory problems, including those with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
As seen on a recent study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, stimulating the brain during sleep can improve memory. The study involved 18 people with severe epilepsy who underwent deep brain stimulation while they slept. The stimulation was delivered during non-REM sleep, which is when the brain is thought to strengthen memories it expects to use in the future. The goal was to synchronize the activity in two brain areas involved in memory consolidation: the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex.
The results of the study showed that the participants scored higher on a memory test after receiving the stimulation. “Some improved by 10% or 20%, some improved by 80%, depending on the level of synchrony,” said Dr. Itzhak Fried, an author of the study and a professor of neurosurgery at the University of California, Los Angeles.
These findings support a leading theory of how the brain transforms a daily event into a memory that can last for days, weeks, or even years. They also suggest a new approach to helping people with a range of sleep and memory problems.
“We know for instance that in patients with dementia, with Alzheimer, sleep is not working very well at all,” said Fried. “The question is whether by changing the architecture of sleep, you can help memory.”
While the study was small and focused on people with epilepsy, the results are encouraging. Dr. György Buzsáki, a professor of neuroscience at New York University who was not involved in the research, called the findings “reason to celebrate.”
During sleep, brain cells fire in rhythmic patterns. Scientists believe that when two brain areas synchronize their firing patterns, they are able to strengthen the connections between them and consolidate memories. This study provides evidence that electrical pulses can be used to synchronize these patterns and improve memory.
The study also raises the possibility of using this technique to help people with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, who often experience problems with sleep and memory. By altering the architecture of their sleep, it may be possible to improve their memory and quality of life.
To bring it all to a close, these findings are an exciting development in the field of neuroscience. By better understanding how the brain works during sleep, we may be able to develop new treatments for a range of neurological disorders.
