A new study is challenging what we know about the unconscious brain.Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine found the brain may continue processing language—even under general anesthesia.The study involved 7 patients undergoing epilepsy surgery. While they were under general anesthesia, researchers used a special probe to record brain activity directly from the hippocampus — a critical region for memory.First, researchers played repetitive tones interrupted by unusual sounds.They found neurons, or specialized nerve cells in the hippocampus, could recognize the different tones. And over time, their ability to distinguish between them grew stronger.In a second, more complex experiment, short stories were played to unconscious patients.This time, patterns of neural activity showed the brain could distinguish different parts of speech, including nouns, verbs, and adjectives.Even more remarkable: according to the researchers, the brain was predicting upcoming words before they were spoken.This type of processing is usually associated with being awake and attentive.The authors say these findings could help advance treatment for people affected by stroke and other injuries.But they caution the results only apply to one type of anesthesia and one brain region and may not extend to sleep or coma.Source: Nature Author Affiliations: Baylor College of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Centre for Natural Sciences, Rice University, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Columbia University.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter