For a long time, sleep was considered essential for memory formation. However, recent research shows that the brain can also process and store new information during wakefulness—though by different mechanisms. Lucy Palmer, Professor at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health in Australia, will investigate how our brain consolidates memories—both during sleep and while awake.
At the heart of the project is the question of how the neural mechanisms of memory consolidation differ between sleep and wake states, and whether the hippocampus might even play opposing roles depending on the state. In collaboration with the NeuroCure Excellence Cluster at Humboldt University of Berlin (HU Berlin) and her host, Professor Matthew Larkum (HU Berlin), Palmer aims to explore how these two states interact and how new memories are integrated into existing knowledge. Using in vivo imaging and optogenetic techniques, brain activity in animal models will be monitored and precisely manipulated.
The goal is to better understand how the brain flexibly handles new information. The findings may also contribute to developing new approaches for treating memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease or post-traumatic stress disorder—by specifically enhancing or correcting memory processes.