However, levels stayed constant in other brain areas that played no role in spatial memory.

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Lead researcher Ilana Hairston said as well as proving sleep deprivation affected spatial memory, the suggestion was that sleep did not affect senses.

BBC: Spatial memory works in a similar way in rats and humans

Kamikihi-to, a Kampo medicine, ameliorates impairment of spatial memory in rats.

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But scientific studies have taken things one step further and shown that as cab drivers hone their skills, their hippocampus -- the part of the brain that deals with spatial memory and navigation -- gradually gets bigger.

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The hippocampus, for example, is a part of the brain in the medial temporal lobe, which is very active in spatial navigation and memory.

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Recent animal studies have shown that stimulating the entorhinal cortex improved the growth of brain cells in adult mice and appeared to enhance memory for locations and spatial knowledge.

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The key: As you play, you're working on your memory, strategy, and spatial skills--all required for improving brain health--at the same time.

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Tests using spatial relationships, speed of processing, and working memory aim to measure it.

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