Electric waves boost memory; One day could help people with Alzheimer's

It is generally agreed that sleep aids memory consolidation. German scientists recently discovered that stimulating the brain with gentle electric currents during sleep could be used to boost memory, it was reported Sunday in the online version of the journal Nature.

Based on the results researchers believe brain stimulation could help people with memory problems and Alzheimer's disease and the approach shows the potential an alternative method of intensifying or improving sleep and its memory function.

When they applied several currents that mimic natural, slow-oscillating brain waves in sleep, they enhanced the memory of medical students who had done a word-learning task by 8%. The students did not feel any sensation from the currents to the frontal cortex of the brain or any adverse side effects. The currents forced the brain more into the deep, slow-wave sleep to improve the memory function, according to the scientists.

The researches stated a belief that "the natural slow oscillations and those induced by the electrical currents affect the hippocampus area of the brain which plays a part in memory by triggering almost a replay of memories in the hippocampus."

The hippocampus is one of the first regions of the brain that is damaged by Alzheimer's robbing patients of their memory and cognitive ability.

For individuals in their midlife years, we are watching a race between science and our own aging process that will have us in the at risk years of Alzheimer's and dementia over the next several decades. For those with parents already in the at risk years this process is even more relevant.