Even the unconscious brain can learn — and predict what you’ll say next

The brains of people under general anaesthesia continue to process words and sounds, a study finds. Credit: BSIP/UIG Via Getty People given general anaesthesia fall into a coma-like state in which their memory and perception of pain are switched off. But new data reveal that the hippocampus — a deep brain structure crucial for memory — remains remarkably active, parsing the grammar and meaning of spoken words and even anticipating what will be said next. …