Sleep well, clear the brain

(Inside Aotea, February 2010)

Clearing the brain of memories to provide new space for learning might be one reason we need sleep, say Washington University scientists.

During the learning process, the brain forms ‘synapses’, which are thought to hold memory. The number of synapses we can create and sustain is limited. The researchers examined the sleeping patterns of fruit flies, which have similar brains to ours (although simpler!). They found that during sleep, excess synapses are eliminated and unnecessary memories are trimmed away, making room for new ones.