Research reveals that a lack of sleep can hinder the brain's ability to suppress unwanted memories and intrusive thoughts, emphasizing the importance of restful sleep for mental health.
Sleep deprivation has been found to hinder the brain's ability to suppress unwanted memories and intrusive thoughts, according to a new study.
Researchers from the University of York, working with the University of East Anglia, discovered that sleep deprivation disrupts the prefrontal brain's capacity to block the retrieval of memories that would typically be suppressed.
Dr. Scott Cairney, from the University of York, explained: "Memories of unpleasant experiences often intrude into our conscious mind in response to reminders, but tend to be fleeting and can be put out of the mind again, but we have previously shown that the brain's ability to suppress such intrusive memories is contingent on obtaining restful sleep.
"Suppression is a very clever function of the brain as it weakens all of the connecting traces of the memory, thereby inhibiting us from joining up all the dots to retrieve the full picture of the experience when it is triggered by an external stimulus."
Experimental Insights
To understand how the brain does this, the team used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans to investigate the brain activity of 85 healthy adults, half of which had experienced a healthy night sleep in the sleep lab, and the other half stayed awake all night.
They were asked to look at faces, which they had previously seen paired with images of scenes, some of which were emotionally negative, such as a picture of a car crash or a fight. For each face, they were asked to either recall the scene associated with it, or suppress the memory of the scene.
When attempting to suppress the scene images, the well-rested participants showed more activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex — a brain region that controls thoughts, actions, and emotions — compared to those who stayed awake all night.
REM Sleep and Memory Management
The rested participants also showed reduced activity in the hippocampus — a brain region involved in memory retrieval — during attempts to suppress unwanted memories, demonstrating that they could 'shut down' the retrieval operations that underpin emerging intrusive thoughts.
They also found that individuals who obtained more rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, were better able to engage the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during memory suppression, pointing to a role for REM sleep in restoring the mechanisms in the brain that can help prevent unwanted memories from entering conscious thought.
Dr. Cairney explains: "The participants who were sleep deprived were unable to engage the area of the brain that helps us suppress unwanted memories. Consequently, they could not quash memory-related processes in the hippocampus that give rise to intrusive thoughts.
"This is really important to our understanding of mental health issues as it is well documented that those who suffer with anxiety, depression or PTSD, also have difficulty with sleep. Now that we have better understanding of the the mechanisms in the brain that can help restrict negative memories and thoughts, we can perhaps work on more targeted treatments and behavioral therapies that help with improving sleep and as a result support the brain in doing what it has so cleverly adapted to doing, allowing us to lead mentally fit lives."
Reference: "Memory control deficits in the sleep-deprived human brain" by Marcus O. Harrington, Theodoros Karapanagiotidis, Lauryn Phillips, Jonathan Smallwood, Michael C. Anderson and Scott A. Cairney, 31 December 2024, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2400743122
News
Brain waves could help paralyzed patients move again
People with spinal cord injuries often lose the ability to move their arms or legs. In many cases, the nerves in the limbs remain healthy, and the brain continues to function normally. The loss of [...]
Scientists Discover a New “Cleanup Hub” Inside the Human Brain
A newly identified lymphatic drainage pathway along the middle meningeal artery reveals how the human brain clears waste. How does the brain clear away waste? This task is handled by the brain’s lymphatic drainage [...]
New Drug Slashes Dangerous Blood Fats by Nearly 40% in First Human Trial
Scientists have found a way to fine-tune a central fat-control pathway in the liver, reducing harmful blood triglycerides while preserving beneficial cholesterol functions. When we eat, the body turns surplus calories into molecules called [...]
A Simple Brain Scan May Help Restore Movement After Paralysis
A brain cap and smart algorithms may one day help paralyzed patients turn thought into movement—no surgery required. People with spinal cord injuries often experience partial or complete loss of movement in their arms [...]
Plant Discovery Could Transform How Medicines Are Made
Scientists have uncovered an unexpected way plants make powerful chemicals, revealing hidden biological connections that could transform how medicines are discovered and produced. Plants produce protective chemicals called alkaloids as part of their natural [...]
Scientists Develop IV Therapy That Repairs the Brain After Stroke
New nanomaterial passes the blood-brain barrier to reduce damaging inflammation after the most common form of stroke. When someone experiences a stroke, doctors must quickly restore blood flow to the brain to prevent death. [...]
Analyzing Darwin’s specimens without opening 200-year-old jars
Scientists have successfully analyzed Charles Darwin's original specimens from his HMS Beagle voyage (1831 to 1836) to the Galapagos Islands. Remarkably, the specimens have been analyzed without opening their 200-year-old preservation jars. Examining 46 [...]
Scientists discover natural ‘brake’ that could stop harmful inflammation
Researchers at University College London (UCL) have uncovered a key mechanism that helps the body switch off inflammation—a breakthrough that could lead to new treatments for chronic diseases affecting millions worldwide. Inflammation is the [...]
A Forgotten Molecule Could Revive Failing Antifungal Drugs and Save Millions of Lives
Scientists have uncovered a way to make existing antifungal drugs work again against deadly, drug-resistant fungi. Fungal infections claim millions of lives worldwide each year, and current medical treatments are failing to keep pace. [...]
Scientists Trap Thyme’s Healing Power in Tiny Capsules
A new micro-encapsulation breakthrough could turn thyme’s powerful health benefits into safer, smarter nanodoses. Thyme extract is often praised for its wide range of health benefits, giving it a reputation as a natural medicinal [...]
Scientists Develop Spray-On Powder That Instantly Seals Life-Threatening Wounds
KAIST scientists have created a fast-acting, stable powder hemostat that stops bleeding in one second and could significantly improve survival in combat and emergency medicine. Severe blood loss remains the primary cause of death from [...]
Oceans Are Struggling To Absorb Carbon As Microplastics Flood Their Waters
New research points to an unexpected way plastic pollution may be influencing Earth’s climate system. A recent study suggests that microscopic plastic pollution is reducing the ocean’s capacity to take in carbon dioxide, a [...]
Molecular Manufacturing: The Future of Nanomedicine – New book from Frank Boehm
This book explores the revolutionary potential of atomically precise manufacturing technologies to transform global healthcare, as well as practically every other sector across society. This forward-thinking volume examines how envisaged Factory@Home systems might enable the cost-effective [...]
New Book! NanoMedical Brain/Cloud Interface – Explorations and Implications
New book from Frank Boehm, NanoappsMedical Inc Founder: This book explores the future hypothetical possibility that the cerebral cortex of the human brain might be seamlessly, safely, and securely connected with the Cloud via [...]
Global Health Care Equivalency in the Age of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine and Artificial Intelligence
A new book by Frank Boehm, NanoappsMedical Inc. Founder. This groundbreaking volume explores the vision of a Global Health Care Equivalency (GHCE) system powered by artificial intelligence and quantum computing technologies, operating on secure [...]
Miller School Researchers Pioneer Nanovanilloid-Based Brain Cooling for Traumatic Injury
A multidisciplinary team at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has developed a breakthrough nanodrug platform that may prove beneficial for rapid, targeted therapeutic hypothermia after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Their work, published in ACS [...]
