Sleep and spatial memory: Mechanisms, relationships, applications, and potential

Abstract

More and more attention is being paid to the study of sleep and memory because of the immense potential the field has to offer, with the majority of studies focusing on episodic and procedural memory. However, another type of declarative memory spatial memory is relatively lesser-known. This review discusses the scientific community's current understanding of spatial memory and its relationship with sleep using both animal and human studies as examples, exploring, in particular, existing knowledge on spatial memory, whether sleep can affect spatial memory, the nature of such a relationship, and cellular mechanisms. The discussion then moves onto some potential applications of recent findings, including actions that researchers have already taken to better incorporate the enhancing properties of sleep on spatial memory into solutions for clinical problems. The review also points out future directions for research, considering the uncertainties in sleep and memory research and the significance of investigating such topics.