Which brain cells are active during deep sleep – and how do they affect memory formation?

( Natural News ) There are neurons in the brain that activate during deep sleep to create memories. A new animal study showed that these brain cells might be the same as the ones responsible for investigating new objects . The experiment tracked the activity of single cells deep in the brains of both male and female mice as they slept. Further, it also mapped the neurons that activated when the animals came across objects they had not seen before. Researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and Yale School of Medicine conducted the study. They showed an overlap between the neurons during both types of activity. It seemed that the brain cells that helped identify new items also assisted in the formation of memories . MUSC researchers Carlos Blanco and Priyattam Shiromani led the efforts to identify these shared neurons. Their findings were published in The Journal of Neuroscience . Not all brain cells work during waking periods. Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) neurons activate while asleep, especially during rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep. (Related: “Rock-a-Bye” isn’t just for babies – study shows it still works even for adults .) REM sleep and observational behavior activate the same brain cells in mice In their study, Blanco and Shiromani used deep-brain imaging techniques to look at individual hypothalamic neurons that held MCH. They checked the calcium indicator GCaMP6 to see if it changed brightness. They also performed an electrophysiology study of MCH neurons. They evaluated the links between the loss of polarity and Ca2+ activity. Discover how to prevent and reverse heart disease (and other cardio related events) with this free ebook : Written by popular Natural News writer Vicki Batt, this book includes everything you need to know about preventing heart disease, reversing hypertension, and nurturing your cardiac health without […]

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