{"id":105,"date":"2018-01-22T10:22:47","date_gmt":"2018-01-22T10:22:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/horizon.peachpuff-wolverine-566518.hostingersite.com\/?p=105"},"modified":"2018-05-29T23:43:43","modified_gmt":"2018-05-29T23:43:43","slug":"map-brain-cell-activity-may-help-us-control-when-we-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/105\/map-brain-cell-activity-may-help-us-control-when-we-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"Map of brain cell activity may help us control when we sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For many people who struggle to get a good night\u2019s rest, being able to switch on and off the brain circuits that control sleep would be a life-changer. The good news is that\u2019s exactly what scientists hope to do, but first they need to get a better understanding of what\u2019s going on.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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It\u2019s easy to find a whole slew of technologies to prompt good sleep \u2013 ranging from eye masks to acoustic signals. However, some experts remain sceptical about the effectiveness of these products, as many of them are not backed by a sound understanding of sleep biology.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because scientists still have much to learn about the underlying circuitry that triggers the onset of sleep and controls its quality. A master clock in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus is known to orchestrate a network of slave clocks around the body but the precise workings of this complex system is not clear.<\/p>\n

Now new technologies are allowing researchers to dive deeper than ever into the brain\u2019s sleep systems \u2013 paving the way for the development of new sleep aids.<\/p>\n

\u2018The big challenge is to understand how the brain puts you to sleep and guides you to different sleep states,\u2019 said Professor Antoine Adamantidis, University of Bern, Switzerland. \u2018We know of some brain areas active during sleep, but it\u2019s still a mystery how they communicate to induce strong, stable, healthy sleep.\u2019<\/p>\n

He is testing the hypothesis that an area of the brain known as the thalamus is responsible for controlling the balance between sleep-promoting brain signals and those that encourage arousal, as part of a project called Opto-Sleep, funded by the EU\u2019s European Research Council (ERC).<\/p>\n

While researchers in his laboratory have already identified the cells that control processes such as wakefulness and rapid eye movement sleep, the idea is to pull all the pieces together for a full picture of the underlying mechanics of how we actually go to sleep and wake up.<\/p>\n

Lasers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Prof. Adamantidis is doing this by using lasers to explore what happens in mice brains. The first step is to programme selected brain cells to become light-sensitive. He then fires tiny laser pulses to excite the cells and examines how this affects the onset, duration and quality of sleep.<\/p>\n

Prof. Adamantidis pioneered this approach, known as optogenetics, 10 years ago. \u2018This technique allows us to excite brain cells or to silence them,\u2019 he said. \u2018It is very selective \u2013 we don\u2019t want to activate whole areas. We are studying specific cell types in brain areas known to have a role in sleep.\u2019<\/p>\n

This highly-targeted method gives scientists a new level of control over the sleeping brain, allowing them to work on a map of brain circuits involved in each stage of sleep and to determine the roles certain types of cells play.<\/p>\n

\u2018There are lots of correlations in this field \u2013 some brain areas are known to have a role in sleep or wakefulness \u2013 but we can go beyond that now,\u2019 Prof. Adamantidis said. \u2018We can manipulate sleep circuits to study causality, we can determine their precise role in the sleep system.\u2019<\/p>\n

One trigger that is known to increase our likelihood of dropping off is sleep pressure. If we lose sleep, we accumulate a sleep debt. Just as we have a growing sense of hunger when we haven\u2019t eaten for a while, sleep pressure builds if we don\u2019t get enough shuteye.<\/p>\n

Dr Rh\u00eeannan Williams at Helmholtz Zentrum M\u00fcnchen, Germany, explained: \u2018Sleep pressure signals, of which we still have very limited understanding, tell the brain it needs sleep in order to cancel our sleep debt.<\/p>\n

\u2018If we accumulate a sleep debt, the brain intensifies sleep to overcome the sleep loss. This rebound sleep is typically deeper and more consolidated in an attempt to reset sleep pressure to low levels.\u2019 The signals that induce such efficient, restorative sleep are of clear therapeutic interest.<\/p>\n

Balance<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr Williams\u2019 ERC-backed iNAPS project is exploring how the brain restores balance when we suffer the kind of acute sleep deprivation which follows a bad night\u2019s sleep. Understanding which types of cells regulate sleep pressure would pave the way for advances in sleep therapy.<\/p>\n

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\u2018Sleep pressure signals, of which we still have very limited understanding, tell the brain it needs sleep in order to cancel our sleep debt.\u2019<\/p>\n

Dr Rh\u00eeannan Williams, Helmholtz Zentrum M\u00fcnchen, Germany<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Among the prime suspects are astrocytes \u2013 a kind of star-shaped cell found in the brain and spinal cord. \u2018Astrocytes have always been thought of as helper cells \u2013 a cellular brain glue that holds things together \u2013 but recent evidence suggests they may regulate the release of chemicals that sense sleep pressure,\u2019 said Dr Williams.<\/p>\n

Astrocytes may also have a role in cleaning the brain while we sleep by sucking out cellular debris that builds up during our waking hours. However, this too is not well understood.<\/p>\n

\u2018We want to study the role of astrocytes in sleep debt and sleep pressure,\u2019 explained Dr Williams. \u2018To do this, we\u2019re characterising the interactions between astrocytes and other brain cells \u2013 neurons \u2013 to determine how they sense sleep pressure or drive appropriate sleep responses to overcome a sleep debt.<\/p>\n

\u2018Once we have studied these pathways we can investigate disease models such as Alzheimer\u2019s, Parkinson\u2019s and Huntington\u2019s disease where we see irregular sleep patterns.\u2019<\/p>\n

As the fundamental mechanisms of sleep are unpicked, the future could see new drugs developed to target specific receptors that play a key role in sleep. If it emerges that communication between specific brain areas is the key, companies may develop ways to manipulate electrical signals using magnetic fields. But don\u2019t expect a silver bullet.<\/p>\n

\u2018The key to sleep is probably not one simple thing \u2013 it is likely to be a network of cells that must work in symphony,\u2019 said Dr Williams.<\/p>\n

Originally published on Horizon<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For many people who struggle to get a good night\u2019s rest, being able to switch on and off the brain circuits that control sleep would be a life-changer. The good news is that\u2019s exactly what scientists hope to do, but first they need to get a better understanding of what\u2019s going on. It\u2019s easy to … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":313,"featured_media":106,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[10,12],"tags":[46,37,7,79,24,45],"class_list":["post-105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-brain-behavior","category-health","tag-brain","tag-health","tag-neuroscience","tag-research","tag-science","tag-sleep"],"yoast_head":"\nMap of brain cell activity may help us control when we sleep - Horizon Magazine Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/105\/map-brain-cell-activity-may-help-us-control-when-we-sleep\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Map of brain cell activity may help us control when we sleep\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For many people who struggle to get a good night\u2019s rest, being able to switch on and off the brain circuits that control sleep would be a life-changer. 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Chewing over failures or worries at the end of the day undermines rest, especially deep sleep.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Brain & Behavior"","block_context":{"text":"Brain & Behavior","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/brain-behavior\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/09\/27-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/09\/27-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/09\/27-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/09\/27-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/09\/27-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/09\/27-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":85,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/85\/modifying-memories-during-sleep-could-reduce-trauma\/","url_meta":{"origin":105,"position":1},"title":"Modifying memories during sleep could reduce trauma","author":"Julianna Photopoulos","date":"January 8, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Reducing the trauma associated with bad memories while someone is asleep sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but it could become a reality in 10 years thanks to a greater understanding of how the brain encodes memories during sleep. 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Although it is known to play a role in mental and physical health, such as metabolism and memory, there is much that is still not well understood. As a general\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Brain & Behavior"","block_context":{"text":"Brain & Behavior","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/brain-behavior\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sleep quality as well as duration is the key to beneficial sleep. 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Scientists are now testing the idea that older people should instead meditate or learn a language to preserve brainpower and wellbeing. Sleep serves a crucial function in brain\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Health"","block_context":{"text":"Health","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Image credit: Silver Sant\u00e9 Study","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/12\/brainscan.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/12\/brainscan.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/12\/brainscan.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/12\/brainscan.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/12\/brainscan.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/12\/brainscan.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2397,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2397\/brain-disorders-trigger-search-for-new-clues-and-cures\/","url_meta":{"origin":105,"position":4},"title":"Brain disorders trigger search for new clues and cures","author":"Horizon Magazine","date":"June 7, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Scientists are refining their understanding of neural networks and sharpening diagnoses. By Vittoria D\u2019Alessio For two years, Dr Islem Rekik ran an EU-funded study to establish what the neural networks in a healthy brain looked like so that dysfunctional ones could become easier to spot. Rekik and her team took\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Brain & Behavior"","block_context":{"text":"Brain & Behavior","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/brain-behavior\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/7.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/7.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/7.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/7.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/7.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/7.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1136,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/1136\/our-brain-has-a-barrier-that-stops-drugs-how-do-we-get-past-it\/","url_meta":{"origin":105,"position":5},"title":"Our brain has a barrier that stops drugs. 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