For the first time, scientists can see how the brain records memories while sleeping

Scientists have long known that the brain needs sleep to recur events of the day and to transfer them to longer - term memories. But the precise way the brain keeps our memories is very little understood.

Now for the first time, the tiny micro-electrics planted in the brain of two people show how brain neurons flare during sleep to resuscitate “ ” short-term memories in order to shift to permanent memory. The study was published in Cell Reports on Tuesday.

This study is interesting,” said Dr. Richard Isaacson, who runs Alzheimer's Prevention Clinic at Neil Cornell Medicine and New York-Pressbytherian Hospital.

Following Individual neurons

The study was conducted in BrainGate, consisting of Brown University, the VA Medical Centre, Massachusetts General Hospital, Stanford University and Casey Western Reserve University.

“Neurons are small, sized about 10 micron,”- said computer neuroscientist and study author Beata Jarisiwiticz. The “and the macro-powered electrodes that have been approved for human use, such as deep electrodes that stimulate the brain, are too large to record the individual activity of each neuron. ”

In the study, two people with implants were asked to take a nap, and during that time the neuron's activity was registered as an initial basis. Then everyone was asked to repeat the same form of movement from a game.

Instead of moving their wings to follow Simon, both people naturally used their minds to repeat the game's actions, while their nervous activity was recorded. Then they would both rest.

The results showed that their brains continued playing the game even when they were asleep, repeating the same models on a neuron level.

Hopefully, Isaacson said, that the next “s will help clarify which specific stages of sleep (deep sleep, REM sleep), memory reproduction occurs more often”.