Tracking memory during sleep: understanding how re-play of complex information affects memory and mental health

Introduction

The field studying the processing of memory during sleep has been gaining attention lately, leading to some significant progress in our understanding. However, the challenge now is to translate these insights into practical psychotherapeutic options for mental disorders that are traditionally hard to treat. Our research aims to address this gap by using innovative behavioral paradigms and advanced neuroscientific methods to tap into the therapeutic potential of sleep.

Clinical Utility

Rather than treating clinical utility as an afterthought, we have integrated it into the core of our proposal (work package D). During sleep, memories undergo a replay process that strengthens and transforms them. We want to provide direct evidence of this phenomenon in humans, building on studies in rodents and humans.

Methodology

Our approach involves creating a reliable procedure to track memory reprocessing using a cutting-edge MEG scanner with machine learning to identify replay events during sleep. We'll also explore how complex memories unfold over several weeks and use a novel behavioral paradigm to generalize how complex memories are consolidated. This will allow us to examine how depression can disrupt this process, offering new possibilities for therapy.

Challenges and Potential

While developing these methods presents challenges and the outcomes are uncertain, we believe the potential benefits make it worthwhile. Success in our project could pave the way for future efforts to manipulate memory replay during sleep—an exciting possibility.

Future Directions

The project provides a vital step to later establishing a closed-loop approach that both measures and responds to replay, e.g., by acoustic or electrical stimulation techniques. We hope in the end to pioneer techniques that can support therapy for prevalent mental health challenges like depression, schizophrenia, and addiction—issues that are particularly pressing in the European Union.