Obnews Desk: According to a new study, the size of our pupils reflects what types of memories we refresh in our dreams. Researchers found that when we think about certain memories or experiences, the size of our pupils can change. This study has been published in Nature Journal and has been done by scientists of Cornell University.
The researchers used advanced eye-tracking technology and EEG (electroencephalogram) to track the brain activities of the mice. Where the rats were given new information in the maze during the day and were allowed to sleep at night. During this time, two important sleep stages were found. They found that when rats were forming new memories, their pupils shrank. At the same time, when they were reliving their old experiences in dreams, the pupils would dilate. This process continues continuously during sleep.
Neuroscientist Azahara Oliva of the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior said that this process is constantly fluctuating, in which new memories and old information are exchanged. This study also shows that forming new memories does not affect old memories, just as when learning a new skill, previously learned things are not affected.
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Researchers have come to the conclusion that different cognitive processes occur in the brain during sleep, which helps in continued learning. “This study also raises the possibility that it could be a solution to problems with biological and artificial neural networks, preventing destructive interference, as well as enabling memory integration.”
This study also shows that the brain has two distinct sub-states during sleep, which ensure that there is no conflict between old information with new information. This discovery helps in understanding the functioning of the brain and is leading to ideas about how we can further improve memory enhancement techniques.
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This research could play an important role in the future study of the human brain and artificial intelligence (AI), which could help in memory- treatments and AI training.
