Study: Natural Sleep Is Not Free of Memory-Related Issues - Sarmad
A study by the Neuroscience Institute reveals that natural sleep may mask problems in memory consolidation.
Translated by Qiyas from سرمد — Original source
A new study by the Institute of Neuroscience of the Chinese Academy of Sciences revealed that sleep, which appears completely normal according to standard measurements, may conceal hidden problems and defects in the enhancement and consolidation of new memories.
Researchers, led by Min Xu and Wanling Peng, explained that disrupting specific interneurons in the hippocampus that express the CHRM2 gene during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep impairs animals’ ability to remember object locations or recognize other mice, despite no observed changes in overall sleep patterns or brain activity.
The role of these cells is linked to decreased levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine during NREM sleep, which increases chemical inhibition and boosts the activity of these cells, acting as a critical node in generating “hippocampal ripples” responsible for reactivating and consolidating memories.
While human brain data have identified a similar group of cells expressing the CHRM2 gene, these findings open new avenues for understanding cognitive disorders and underscore that standard sleep quality does not necessarily guarantee the integrity of memory consolidation processes.
