Brown University researchers have set forth a new theory of memory storage challenging the widely held belief that new memories are transferred by the hippocampus to the neocortex during sleep.
Using in vivo recordings, they found that this transfer is rather driven by the neocortex, with the hippocampus responding to synchronized oscillations initiated by the neocortical activity during deep, dreamless sleep. In contrast to previous studies, researchers also found that inhibitory neurons rather an excitory neurons were controlling this dialogue between the two regions.
Scientists hope this discovery will shed new light not only upon memory storage but also the cause of diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Read more: Speak, Memory: Research Challenges Theory of Memory Storage
ABSTRACT: Phase-locking of hippocampal interneurons' membrane potential to neocortical up-down states