{"id":129065,"date":"2024-11-23T06:20:02","date_gmt":"2024-11-22T23:20:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=129065"},"modified":"2024-11-23T06:20:02","modified_gmt":"2024-11-22T23:20:02","slug":"nrem-sleep-enhances-cognitive-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=129065","title":{"rendered":"NREM Sleep Enhances Cognitive Performance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Summary: <\/strong>A new study reveals how NREM sleep enhances cognitive performance by synchronizing neural activity and improving information encoding. Researchers observed macaques\u2019 brain activity during visual tasks before and after sleep, finding that neuronal desynchronization after NREM sleep led to better task performance.<\/p>\n<p>Simulated sleep-like brain stimulation mimicked these effects, showing potential for therapies to enhance cognition without actual sleep. The findings suggest that sleep reshapes excitatory and inhibitory brain connections, paving the way for innovations in sleep disorder treatments and cognitive performance enhancement.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Key Facts<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>NREM sleep synchronizes neural activity, boosting cognitive performance post-sleep.<\/li>\n<li>Simulated low-frequency stimulation mimics sleep benefits, enhancing task accuracy.<\/li>\n<li>Study suggests potential therapies to enhance cognition without actual sleep.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong>Rice University<\/p>\n<p><strong>While it\u2019s well known that sleep enhances cognitive performance, the underlying neural mechanisms, particularly those related to nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, remain largely unexplored. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A new study by a team of researchers at Rice University and Houston Methodist\u2019s\u00a0Center for Neural Systems Restoration\u00a0and Weill Cornell Medical College, coordinated by Rice\u2019s\u00a0Valentin Dragoi, has nonetheless uncovered a key mechanism by which sleep enhances neuronal and behavioral performance, potentially changing our fundamental understanding of how sleep boosts brainpower.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><picture fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-106469\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/nrem-sleep-cognition-neurosicence.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/nrem-sleep-cognition-neurosicence-300x200.jpg.webp 300w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/nrem-sleep-cognition-neurosicence-770x513.jpg.webp 770w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/nrem-sleep-cognition-neurosicence-1155x770.jpg.webp 1155w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/nrem-sleep-cognition-neurosicence-370x247.jpg.webp 370w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/nrem-sleep-cognition-neurosicence-293x195.jpg.webp 293w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/nrem-sleep-cognition-neurosicence-150x100.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"\/><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/nrem-sleep-cognition-neurosicence.jpg\" alt=\"This shows a brain.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/nrem-sleep-cognition-neurosicence.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/nrem-sleep-cognition-neurosicence-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/nrem-sleep-cognition-neurosicence-770x513.jpg 770w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/nrem-sleep-cognition-neurosicence-1155x770.jpg 1155w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/nrem-sleep-cognition-neurosicence-370x247.jpg 370w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/nrem-sleep-cognition-neurosicence-293x195.jpg 293w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/nrem-sleep-cognition-neurosicence-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"\/> <\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">To confirm that the macaques were in NREM sleep, researchers used polysomnography to monitor their brain and muscle activity alongside video analysis to ensure their eyes were closed and their bodies relaxed. Credit: Neuroscience News<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The research, published in\u00a0<em>Science<\/em>, reveals how NREM sleep \u2014 the lighter sleep one experiences when taking a nap, for example \u2014 fosters brain synchronization and enhances information encoding, shedding new light on this sleep stage.<\/p>\n<p>The researchers replicated these effects through invasive stimulation, suggesting promising possibilities for future neuromodulation therapies in humans. The implications of this discovery potentially pave the way for innovative treatments for sleep disorders and even methods to enhance cognitive and behavioral performance.<\/p>\n<p>The investigation involved an examination of the neural activity in multiple brain areas in macaques while the animals performed a visual discrimination task before and after a 30-minute period of NREM sleep.<\/p>\n<p>Using multielectrode arrays, the researchers recorded the activity of thousands of neurons across three brain areas: the primary and midlevel visual cortices and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which are associated with visual processing and executive functions.<\/p>\n<p>To confirm that the macaques were in NREM sleep, researchers used polysomnography to monitor their brain and muscle activity alongside video analysis to ensure their eyes were closed and their bodies relaxed.<\/p>\n<p>The findings demonstrated that sleep improved the animals\u2019 performance in the visual task with enhanced accuracy in distinguishing rotated images. Importantly, this improvement was unique to those who actually fell asleep \u2014 the macaques that experienced quiet wakefulness without falling asleep did not show the same performance boost.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDuring sleep, we observed an increase in low-frequency delta wave activity and synchronized firing among neurons across different cortical regions,\u201d said first author\u00a0Dr. Natasha Kharas, a former researcher in\u00a0Dragoi\u2019s lab\u00a0and current resident in neurological surgery at Weill Cornell.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAfter sleep, however, neuronal activity became more desynchronized compared to before sleep, allowing neurons to fire more independently. This shift led to improved accuracy in information processing and performance in the visual tasks.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The researchers also simulated the neural effects of sleep through low-frequency electrical stimulation of the visual cortex. They applied a 4-Hz stimulation to mimic the delta frequency observed during NREM sleep while the animals were awake.<\/p>\n<p>This artificial stimulation reproduced the desynchronization effect seen after sleep and similarly enhanced the animals\u2019 task performance, suggesting that specific patterns of electrical stimulation could potentially be used to emulate the cognitive benefits of sleep.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis finding is significant because it suggests that some of the restorative and performance-enhancing effects of sleep might be achieved without the need for actual sleep,\u201d said Dragoi, study co-author, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Rice, the Rosemary and Daniel J. Harrison III Presidential Distinguished Chair in Neuroprosthetics at Houston Methodist and professor of neuroscience at Weill Cornell.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe ability to reproduce sleeplike neural desynchronization in an awake state opens new possibilities for enhancing cognitive and perceptual performance in situations where sleep is not feasible \u2014 such as for individuals with sleep disorders or in extenuating circumstances such as space exploration.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The researchers further investigated their findings by building a large neural network model. They found that during sleep, both excitatory and inhibitory connections in the brain become weaker, but they do so asymmetrically, making inhibitory connections weaker than excitatory connections, which causes an increase in excitation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have uncovered a surprising solution that the brain employs after sleep whereby neural populations participating in the task reduce their level of synchrony after sleep despite receiving synchronizing inputs during sleep itself,\u201d Dragoi said.<\/p>\n<p>The idea that NREM sleep effectively \u201cboosts\u201d the brain in this way, and that this resetting can be mimicked artificially, offers potential for developing therapeutic brain stimulation techniques to improve cognitive function and memory.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur study not only deepens our mechanistic understanding of sleep\u2019s role in cognitive function but also breaks new ground by showing that specific patterns of brain stimulation could substitute for some benefits of sleep, pointing toward a future where we might boost brain function independently of sleep itself,\u201d Dragoi said.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Funding: <\/strong>This research was supported by National Eye Institute grants 5R01EY026156 (V.D.) and 5F31EY029993 (N.K.).<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About this sleep and cognition research news<\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ffffe8\"><strong>Author: <\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#6e0f020b16400c0b0d050b1c2e1c070d0b400b0a1b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Alex Becker<\/a><br \/><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/rice.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rice University<\/a><br \/><strong>Contact: <\/strong>Alex Becker \u2013 Rice University<br \/><strong>Image: <\/strong>The image is credited to Neuroscience News<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ffffe8\"><strong>Original Research: <\/strong>Closed access.<br \/>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1126\/science.adr3339\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NREM sleep improves behavioral performance by desynchronizing cortical circuits<\/a>\u201d by Valentin Dragoi et al. <em>Science<\/em><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color has-background\"\/>\n<p><strong>Abstract<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>NREM sleep improves behavioral performance by desynchronizing cortical circuits<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sleep improves cognitive performance, yet little is known about the neural mechanisms of this improvement.<\/p>\n<p>We performed multielectrode recording in macaque visual and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex while animals performed a visual discrimination task before and after non\u2013rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep.<\/p>\n<p>Although sleep induces synchronized fluctuations in population activity across cortical areas, the post-sleep population activity became more desynchronized relative to the pre-sleep state.<\/p>\n<p>The changes after sleep were correlated with an increase in information encoded in population activity in each area and improved behavioral performance.<\/p>\n<p>Electrically stimulating visual cortex at 4 hertz emulated the beneficial effects of sleep on network and perceptual performance.<\/p>\n<p>A large-scale neural network model indicated that asymmetric depression of local intracortical synapses is consistent with the observed changes in neural activity after sleep.<\/p>\n<p> <!-- Form created by Optin Forms plugin by WPKube: create beautiful optin forms with ease! --> <!-- https:\/\/wpkube.com\/ --><!--optinforms-form5-container--> <!-- \/ Optin Forms --> <\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/nrem-sleep-cognition-28118\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Summary: A new study reveals how NREM sleep enhances cognitive performance by synchronizing neural activity and improving information encoding. Researchers observed macaques\u2019 brain activity during visual tasks before and after &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=129065\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-129065","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129065","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=129065"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129065\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=129065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=129065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=129065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}