Researchers at Cornell University have made a groundbreaking discovery about how memories are processed during sleep. By studying mice with brain electrodes and tiny eye-tracking cameras, the team found that pupil size plays a crucial role in memory formation.
When mice fall asleep, their pupils contract, replaying new memories and consolidating them into long-lasting ones. In contrast, when the pupil is dilated, older memories are replayed and integrated into existing knowledge. This process prevents “catastrophic forgetting” by separating new learning from old knowledge.
The study, published in Nature, suggests that the brain has a unique micro-structure that enables this separation. The researchers believe that this discovery could lead to improved memory enhancement techniques for humans and even help train artificial neural networks more efficiently.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-12-pupil-size-reveals-memories.html