06/29/2025
Brain Criticality May Hold Key to Learning, Memory, and Alzheimer’s
A new theory suggests the brain operates best in a state of criticality—a fine balance between order and chaos where learning, memory, and adaptability thrive.
Researchers argue that this dynamic state enables the brain to stay flexible and responsive across scales, from milliseconds to years.
Importantly, criticality can be measured using fMRI and may be disrupted in disorders like Alzheimer’s, long before symptoms appear.
Sleep appears to restore this fragile balance, offering a potential therapeutic pathway.
The buildup of tau proteins in Alzheimer’s disease has been shown to degrade criticality, weakening the brain’s ability to compute and adapt.
This framework could revolutionize how we understand, diagnose, and treat neurodegenerative conditions.
https://neurosciencenews.com/brain-criticality-memory-alzheimers-29368/