What Happens in the Brain While Daydreaming?
Psych 🧠- 277/300
Reader,
These insights are drawn from Observations in mice that hint at role of daydreams in remodeling the brain.
What is it?
This text discusses a study conducted on mice that delves into the neuroscience behind daydreaming.
The researchers focused on the visual cortex, a brain region often overlooked in such studies, and observed how neurons fired when mice were shown images and during periods of daydreaming.
The findings hint at a potential link between daydreams and the brain's ability to adapt and learn.
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Neural Activity During Daydreams:
The study tracked the activity of neurons in the visual cortex of mice during daydreaming states. They found that, at times, the neurons fired similarly to when the mouse was actively looking at an image, indicating a connection between daydreams and visual memories.
Predictive Nature of Early Daydreams:
Daydreams occurring at the beginning of the day predicted how the brain's response to images would change over time. This "representational drift" in neural patterns suggests that daydreams might play a role in shaping the brain's future response to visual stimuli.
Potential Role in Brain Plasticity:
The researchers propose that daydreams may actively contribute to brain plasticity, the brain's ability to adapt to new experiences. Daydreams, particularly after exposure to images, may guide neural patterns, helping the brain distinguish between different visual stimuli and enhancing learning and memory.
In simple terms, the study reveals that daydreaming, especially after experiencing images, might be a key player in the brain's ability to learn and adapt.
Sources:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231213112457.htm