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Optogenetically induced sleep spindle rhythms alter sleep architectures in mice.

ABSTRACT: Sleep spindles are rhythmic patterns of neuronal activity generated within the thalamocortical circuit. Although spindles have been hypothesized to protect sleep by reducing the influence of external stimuli, it remains to be confirmed experimentally whether there is a direct relationship between sleep spindles and the stability of sleep. We have addressed this issue by using in vivo photostimulation of the thalamic reticular nucleus of mice to generate spindle oscillations that are structurally and functionally similar to spontaneous sleep spindles. Such optogenetic generation of sleep spindles increased the duration of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Furthermore, the density of sleep spindles was correlated with the amount of NREM sleep. These findings establish a causal relationship between sleep spindles and the stability of NREM sleep, strongly supporting a role for the thalamocortical circuit in sleep regulation.

SUBMITTER: Kim A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3528529 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Optogenetically induced sleep spindle rhythms alter sleep architectures in mice.

Kim Angela A Latchoumane Charles C Lee Soojung S Kim Guk Bae GB Cheong Eunji E Augustine George J GJ Shin Hee-Sup HS

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20121120 50

Sleep spindles are rhythmic patterns of neuronal activity generated within the thalamocortical circuit. Although spindles have been hypothesized to protect sleep by reducing the influence of external stimuli, it remains to be confirmed experimentally whether there is a direct relationship between sleep spindles and the stability of sleep. We have addressed this issue by using in vivo photostimulation of the thalamic reticular nucleus of mice to generate spindle oscillations that are structurally ...[more]

PMID: 23169668

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Optogenetically induced sleep spindle rhythms alter sleep architectures in mice.

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Optogenetically induced sleep spindle rhythms alter sleep architectures in mice.

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