Researchers at the University of Toyama, led by Distinguished Professor Kaoru Inokuchi, tracked brain activity in mice and discovered a new type of neuron dubbed “engram-to-be cells.” These cells become increasingly synchronized during sleep after a learning experience, priming the brain to absorb future knowledge. Using advanced calcium imaging techniques, the team monitored individual neurons before, during, and after learning. They found that while already known “engram cells” reactivated during sleep to strengthen previous memories, a separate group of neurons was being prepared to encode new ones. This dual activity suggests that sleep plays a crucial role not just in memory retention, but also in getting the brain ready to learn again. A new study, published in Nature Communications, revealed that sleep not only helps consolidate existing memories but also prepares the brain to learn new information. These findings suggest that the quality of sleep between learning sessions may influence not only how well we remember what we’ve learned, but also how effectively we can learn new information moving forward. Interestingly, the study also found that existing memory cells and future-learning cells became more connected during sleep, hinting at a possible transfer or coordination between networks related to past and future memories.
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Tuesday, May 20, 2025