Link Between Sleep Spindles and Memory: Breathing Plays a Key Role

Breathing during sleep may have a significant impact on how our brains form memories, according to a recent study. The research, conducted by a team led by Schreiner, has established a connection between respiration and memory processing during sleep. The study involved 20 participants who were shown 120 images associated with specific words over two sessions. Afterward, the participants slept for approximately two hours in a laboratory setting, during which their brain activity and breathing patterns were recorded. Upon waking up, the participants were questioned about the associations they had learned. The findings revealed that there was an increase in the precision of sleep-related brain rhythms associated with the reactivation of pre-sleep content. Interestingly, this precision was found to increase from childhood to adolescence and then decline again during aging. As respiration frequency also changes with age, the researchers were able to establish a link between sleep-related brain activity and breathing. The team plans to explore potential connections between sleep disorders, respiratory disorders, declining memory function in older individuals, and the effectiveness of interventions such as CPAP masks. This could provide valuable insights into the cognitive implications of respiratory interventions. The study sheds light on the intricate relationship between sleep, breathing, and memory formation, offering potential avenues for future research into cognitive well-being.