Researchers have discovered a way to trigger sleep-like restorative processes in specific brain regions while mice remain awake. By inducing slow-wave activity—the brain pattern normally seen during deep non-REM sleep—scientists restored memory performance in sleep-deprived mice. The targeted brain regions showed a reduced need for sleep afterward, suggesting they had already undergone the restorative changes usually achieved during sleep. The findings indicate that the unique on-and-off rhythm of neuronal activity, rather than simply reduced brain activity, is key to sleep’s benefits. Although the research is still in animals, scientists hope similar non-invasive brain stimulation techniques could one day help improve memory and cognitive function in humans.
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