The Department of Cognitive Sciences will host guest speaker Dr. Sara Mednick, professor at the University of California, Irvine

Brain mechanisms of sleep that sculpt our memories

Sleep is a daily period of deep rest that is important for proper functioning of the brain and body. Studies show that adequate sleep supports enhanced cognitive functions, including memory, creativity, attention, mood, and promotes healthy bodily functions, including physical stamina, metabolism and cardiac activity. Recent findings have demonstrated that sleep may be especially important for the transformation of new experiences into long-term memories, a process known as memory consolidation. My UC Irvine Sleep and Cognition (SaC) lab is interested in identifying basic neural mechanisms that are critical for memory consolidation so that we can 1) understand the function of sleep, 2) reveal the processes of memory, 3) and develop interventions that boost sleep-dependent cognitive processes. In my talk, I will introduce the building blocks of sleep and their relation to cognitive processes, as well suggest that cognitive changes that occur across the lifespan may be mediated by changes in sleep. I hope to illustrate a dynamic relationship that exists between waking experiences and sleeping brain that facilitates the maintenance and enhancement of our cognitive health.