How Sleep Rewrites the Brain to Strengthen and Optimize Memories

Summary: A new study reveals how the brain reprocesses and refines memories during sleep, particularly those related to spatial learning. Researchers tracked rats’ hippocampal neuron activity for up to 20…

Targeting Brain’s Drainage Pathways Rejuvenates Memory

Summary: Rejuvenating the brain’s lymphatic vessels can enhance memory in aging mice by improving the removal of waste products from the brain. This research suggests that targeting the meningeal lymphatics—vessels…

Dendrites Link Memories Formed Close in Time

Summary: A new study shows that our brains physically link memories formed close together in time through changes in the dendrites of neurons, rather than in the cell bodies. Using…

Why Some People Remember Dreams and Others Don’t

Summary: A new study explores why some people vividly recall dreams while others forget them. Researchers found that dream recall is influenced by personality traits, sleep patterns, and even seasonal…

Mitochondria’s Role in Social Memory May Offer Clues to Brain Disorder

Summary: Researchers have identified a unique mitochondrial process in CA2 neurons that supports learning, memory, and social recognition. Mitochondria in different parts of these neurons vary in structure and function,…

Cannabis Use Reduces Brain Activity in Key Memory Regions

Summary: A study of over 1,000 young adults reveals that both recent and heavy lifetime cannabis use reduce brain activity in regions critical for working memory, including the prefrontal cortex…

False Memories Are Harder to Create Than Once Thought

Summary: A new analysis challenges long-standing claims about the ease of implanting false memories, often cited in court cases to discredit witnesses. Researchers re-evaluated data from a 2023 replication of…

Poor Sleep Linked to Difficulty Controlling Unwanted Thoughts

Summary: Sleep deprivation impairs brain regions responsible for suppressing unwanted thoughts, contributing to mental health challenges. Functional neuroimaging revealed reduced activation in the prefrontal cortex and increased hippocampal activity in…

Classical vs. Operant Conditioning: The Brain’s Memory Tug-of-War

Summary: Classical and operant conditioning compete in the brain, preventing simultaneous learning of conflicting actions. Using fruit flies, researchers demonstrated that attempting to teach both types of learning simultaneously results…

Distinctive Neural Wiring Enhances Memory Storage

Summary: A new study has revealed distinct features of the human hippocampus, a brain region critical for memory storage and retrieval, challenging the assumption that it functions like a scaled-up…