Your Brain Can Learn Things When You’re Unconscious

A new study published in Nature found that the brain can learn and process language even under general anesthesia. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine recorded hippocampal neurons in seven patients and found they detected unusual sounds, improved at recognizing them, and responded to grammar and word patterns about 86% of the time — similar to rates seen in conscious patients. The findings challenge long-held theories that complex thinking requires awareness.