Revolution in the brain: New study discovers unknown memory mechanisms!

Revolution in the brain: New study discovers unknown memory mechanisms!

An international research team led by Prof. Florian Mormann at the Department of Epileptology at the University Hospital of Bonn (UKB) has gained groundbreaking insights into memory processes in the human brain. This study, based on analysis of neuronal activity in people with intractable epilepsy, uses implanted electrodes to record brain signals during cognitive tasks. The focus is on how the brain stores the sequence of images. The results are promising and contradict established theories of memory formation.

As part of the study, participants with epilepsy performed a memory task while their neural responses were measured. Dr. Stefanie Liebe, the first author of the study, commented on the surprising results, which question the classic view of memory functions. A key result shows that the cell responses in the brain do not correspond to the temporal order of the images presented. This could indicate an alternative mechanism of memory that arises through the interaction of visual presentations, brain waves and neural signals.

Combination of AI and neural recordings

The study also highlights the potential of combining neural recordings and artificial intelligence (AI). In cooperation with Matthijs Pals and Jakob Macke from the Cluster of Excellence “Machine Learning: New Perspectives for Science” at the University of Tübingen, a neural network was developed that simulates activity patterns similar to those of the human brain. These innovative approaches could open up new perspectives for research into complex brain functions.

Epilepsy is a widespread neurological disease in which around one in three people does not respond adequately to drug therapy. In Switzerland alone, around 80,000 people live with this disease. Surgery to remove the epileptogenic focus can help in severe cases, but precise localization of these regions is challenging.

Digital brain models to support epilepsy

Currently, existing methods only succeed in correctly identifying the affected areas in around 60% of patients. Researchers led by Viktor Jirsa at the Université d’Aix-Marseille are therefore working on personalized brain models, the so-called digital brain twins. These mathematical models are based on patient-specific data and use algorithms to simulate brain activity and the connections within the brain.

The digital twin can identify epileptic activity in brain regions that conventional methods often miss. Lukas Imbach from the Swiss Epilepsy Center sees great potential in these new approaches for planning surgical interventions. Since 2019, a clinical trial testing this technique has been running in 13 epilepsy centers in France with almost 400 participants, the first results of which are expected at the end of 2024.

In summary, the research shows that both the findings from the University of Bonn with regard to memory processes as well as the innovative approaches to combating epilepsy, the enormous potential of the combination of AI and individual brain models is taken into account. These developments could not only deepen basic knowledge of memory formation, but also open up new therapeutic options for patients with epilepsy and improve precision in surgical procedures.