Deep Sleep Resets the Hippocampus, Facilitating Continuous Learning

Good sleep not only restores energy but also resets memory. Research from Cornell University has found that learning activates hippocampal neurons, and during sleep, these neurons repeat their activity patterns to reinforce memory. Memories are stored in the cortex.

The question is, how does the brain continue to learn without exhausting its neurons? A new study in the journal Science reveals that during deep sleep, certain parts of the hippocampus fall silent, allowing neurons to reset. The hippocampus is divided into CA1, CA2, and CA3 regions, with CA1 and CA3 involved in encoding spatial and temporal memories, and CA2 regulating memory reset.

Through experiments with mice, the study found that during sleep, neurons in the CA1 and CA3 regions replay learning patterns, while the CA2 region quiets these areas, enabling memory reset. The brain has two types of interneurons that regulate parallel circuits: one type controls memory, and the other allows for memory reset.

This discovery not only aids in enhancing memory but may also explore methods to eliminate negative memories and treat conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Memory is a dynamic process, and sleep not only repairs memories but also resets the brain, allowing it to continue functioning when awake.