5. Neurobiology of sleep

Question 1

what’s the most important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain.

Answer 1

GABA

Question 2

what happens in the sleep promoting system

Answer 2

direct inhibitory connections to all arousal promoting nuclei. VLPO will send those projections (GABA) to stop multiple networks trying to keep you awake.

Question 3

what happens in the VLPO

Answer 3

Where sleep is controlled

Question 4

is sleep controlled only by the VLPO?

Answer 4

No, you still need other systems. Circadian system. Then your hormones, different levels of sleepiness with different hormonal changes. Digestion might also play a role. All these things interact with each other.

Question 5

what does adenosine do?

Answer 5

it’s a neurochmical that puts you to sleep if there’s too much of it in the brain

it accumulates in the basal forebrain with sleep debt, diminishes during slep

Question 6

aminergic vs cholinergic activity in wake, non-rem and rem sleep

Answer 6

wake: both active
non-rem: both diminished in activity
rem: attenuation activity of aminergic BUT very strong cholinergic activity.

Question 7

what does glucose metabolism mean

Answer 7

how much energy neurons are consuming. Big consumption = very active.

Question 8

glucose metabolism in wake, slow wave sleep, rem

Answer 8

wake: high glucose metabolism (very active)
non-rem: low glucose metabolism
rem: don’t go as high in glucose metabolism as in wakefulness but close.

Question 9

hobson theory on rem sleep

Answer 9

Rem sleep is regulated with ponto-geniculo-ocular waves: activating the neocortex, putting the brain into rem state. At the same time stimulate eye movements. Eye movements are just there, it’s a reflex. Has no link with looking at the dreams.

Question 10

interconnection between different parts of the brain during wake, light sleep, deep sleep, rem sleep

Answer 10

wake: very hugely interconnected
light sleep: diminished interconnection
deep sleep: the least interconnected (Synchronized but not interconnected)
rem sleep: diminished connectivity compared to wake. Less connected with prefrontal cortex.

Question 11

what is likely the most crucial to feelings of good sleep and recovery functions

Answer 11

slow-wave sleep. if you have nice chunks of deep sleep with delta activity.The one thing that correlates with your sleep quality.