<\/a>Broken sleep affects the ability to build memories, a study of mice suggests.
\nThe Proceedings of the National Academy of Science findings could help explain memory problems linked to conditions including Alzheimer’s and sleep apnoea.
\nThe Stanford University found disrupting sleep made it harder for the animals to recognise familiar objects.
\nA UK sleep expert said\u00a0the brain used deep sleep to evaluate the day’s events and decide what to keep.
\nThis study looked at sleep that was fragmented, but not shorter or less intense than normal for the mice.
\nIt used a technique called optogenetics, where specific cells are genetically engineered so they can be controlled by light.
\nThey targeted a type of brain cell that plays a key role in switching between the states of being asleep and being awake.
\nMOUSE MEMORY TEST
\nhe researchers then sent light pulses directly into the brains of mice while they slept.
\nThis meant they could disrupt their sleep without affecting total sleep time or the quality or composition of sleep.
\nThe animals were then placed in a box with two objects, one of which they had encountered before.
\nMice would naturally spend more time examining the newer object, and those who had been allowed uninterrupted sleep did just that.
\nBut those whose sleep had been disrupted were equally interested in both objects, suggesting their memories had been affected.
\nBroken sleep also affects people addicted to alcohol, and those with sleep apnoea – a condition in which the throat repeatedly narrows or closes during sleep, restricting oxygen and causing the patient to wake up.<\/p>\n

-With bbc.co.uk <\/span>input<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Broken sleep affects the ability to build memories, a study of mice suggests. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Science findings could help explain memory problems linked to conditions including Alzheimer’s and sleep apnoea. The Stanford University found disrupting sleep made it harder for the animals to recognise familiar objects. A UK sleep expert … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[1839,5586,3126,3127],"yoast_head":"\n