Previous research found a replay pattern occurring during sleep. but it was difficult to pin this pattern to learning, Foster says, because "sleep is possibly many hours from the experience, and in a different place." this overnight replay may be the brain's way of consolidating information for long-term memory.
He says that the replay mechanism may be part of how the brain packages information and sends it off to different parts of the brain. "It's still a little controversial," Foster says, "but the idea is that information may first be stored in the hippocampus, but then slowly integrated into long-term stores in different parts of the brain."
According to Foster, this work can help explain previous research, which found that animals and people learn best when information isn't crammed together.
"Perhaps we don't take breaks seriously enough," Foster says. "Perhaps we're wrong to expect all learning to occur on the job. perhaps an important part of learning in general, and in jobs and at school, is occurring during breaks."
Foster, who admits that he typically doesn't have enough time for coffee breaks, says that the rats, when taking a break, would be "eating, grooming ... basically at rest doing things that were natural to them. so it's really the idea of a mental break."
Foster's research was published in the March 30, 2006 edition of "Nature," and featured in the May 2006 edition of "Discover" Magazine. His research is funded by the National Institutes of Health and RIKEN, the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research in Japan.
Coffee Break Brain: Study Finds Taking Breaks Helps Form Memories
Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
- Related posts on Job
- Jobs & Business | Find Your Work at Home Dream Job Online
- Finding The Perfect Oil and Gas Job Match.
- Jobs & Business | Oil and Gas Jobs in the UK Job Market