New research shows how sleep strengthens brain connections, aiding learning and memory. A team at the University of Tokyo, led by Professor Hiroki Ueda, used computer models to study brain activity during sleep.
The study found that specific brain activity during sleep can strengthen synapses, the connections between brain cells. This challenges previous ideas that sleep only weakens these connections, suggesting sleep actively helps the brain learn and remember.
This discovery could lead to better ways to improve learning and treat sleep-related disorders. The research also highlights the importance of computational neuroscience in understanding the brain.