For decades, scientists have known that the ability to remember newly learned information declines with age, but didn't know why.
A study published Sunday in the journal Nature Neuroscience suggests that structural brain changes occurring naturally over time interfere with sleep quality, which in turn blunts the ability to store memories long-term.Previous research found that the prefrontal cortex, the brain region behind the forehead, loses volume with age, and that this region helps sustain quality sleep, which is critical to consolidating new memories. But the new experiment, led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, is the first to link structural changes directly with sleep-related memory problems.The findings suggest that one way to slow memory decline in aging adults is to improve sleep, specifically the so-called slow-wave phase, which constitutes about a quarter of a normal night's slumber.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
