Sleep research realizes the dream of understanding brain plasticity mechanisms

The relationship between sleep and brain plasticity, in particular why some EEG rhythms are involved in memory consolidation, is poorly understood. While it is known that dendritic calcium activity is involved in brain plasticity, it has hitherto not been investigated during sleep. Now, a team of researchers has used simultaneous EEG and calcium recording to clarify this relationship. The results could lead to new avenues for treating learning and memory disorders, such as dementia. The study recorded activity in rodent neocortical dendrites, the brain region responsible for holding new information. It demonstrated that dendrite activity is increased and synchronized during...