Induction of cortical on/off periods in awake mice fulfills sleep functions
Kort Driessen, Fabio Squarcio, Giulio Tononi, Chiara Cirelli · 2026
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Description
Driessen, Squarcio, Tononi, and Cirelli tested whether the brain benefits of slow-wave sleep can be delivered during wakefulness by artificially switching cortical neurons on and off in awake mice. Using optogenetics, light-based control of neurons, they imposed the alternating on and off periods that define deep sleep onto local cortex while the animals stayed awake.
Treated regions later showed reduced slow-wave activity and synchrony during natural sleep, as if part of their sleep need had already been discharged. Markers of synaptic strength also fell locally, matching the synaptic downscaling thought to be a core function of sleep in this framework. When both sides of sensorimotor cortex received induced off periods during sleep deprivation, memory consolidation was restored despite the missed sleep. The authors conclude that on-off activity itself, not the sleep state, fulfills these core functions.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Kort Driessen, Fabio Squarcio, Giulio Tononi, Chiara Cirelli |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 99 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |