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Pablo Martínez-Juarez
WriterEnvironmental economist and science journalist. For a few years, I worked as a researcher on the economics of climate change adaptation. Now I write about that and much more.
Alba Mora
WriterAn established tech journalist, I entered the world of consumer tech by chance in 2018. In my writing and translating career, I've also covered a diverse range of topics, including entertainment, travel, science, and the economy.
Sleep remains one of the greatest mysteries, whether from an evolutionary or medical perspective. Sleep is vital for our physical and mental well-being. Over the decades, researchers have uncovered aspects that reveal sleep is more than just a period of rest.
Getting ready. In a recent study published in Nature Communications, researchers found that during sleep, neurons in the hippocampus get ready for learning that will take place the following day. According to the study, sleep plays a crucial role in consolidating our memories.
Sleep and memory. While sleep is essential for physical rest, it serves a greater purpose. During sleep, our brain cycles through various stages, alternating between periods of high and low activity. Some of these stages involve dreaming.
Research indicates that the brain performs essential “maintenance tasks” during sleep, functioning as a form of internal cleansing. Traditionally, scientists believed that sleep primarily helped consolidate memories and strengthen the neural connections associated with them. However, the recent study suggests that the relationship might also work in reverse.
Engrams. The study focused on engrams, which are interconnections in our brains that allow the abstract concept of memory to manifest physically. Engrams are formed by specialized neurons known as engram cells.
In this new research, scientists identified a novel group of neurons they called “engram-to-be cells,” which function as a type of “pre-engram cell.” These neurons displayed increasing synchronization during post-learning sleep, according to the team. Notably, this population of cells was subsequently involved in encoding a new learning experience for the future.
New techniques. Researchers conducted their analysis using advanced imaging systems that combined calcium visualization with engram cell labeling. This allowed them to measure the neuronal activity of mice before, during, and after learning experiences.
After discovering the intriguing phenomenon of “pre-engram cells,” researchers developed a neural network model to simulate hippocampal activity. This model enabled them to investigate the tuning mechanisms that connect neurons, as well as the role of sleep in the emergence of this population of neurons.
Double work. The process of consolidating structures that will form new memories occurs simultaneously. It doesn’t interfere with the post-learning consolidation process described in previous analyses and observed in the recent study.
Additionally, the study emphasizes the importance of sleep for memory, highlighting that this relationship is twofold. You need to sleep not only after learning but also before it.
Image | Shane
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