Optogenetic disruption of sleep continuity impairs memory consolidation.

ABSTRACT: Memory consolidation has been proposed as a function of sleep. However, sleep is a complex phenomenon characterized by several features including duration, intensity, and continuity. Sleep continuity is disrupted in different neurological and psychiatric conditions, many of which are accompanied by memory deficits. This finding has raised the question of whether the continuity of sleep is important for memory consolidation. However, current techniques used in sleep research cannot manipulate a single sleep feature while maintaining the others constant. Here, we introduce the use of optogenetics to investigate the role of sleep continuity in memory consolidation. We optogenetically targeted hypocretin/orexin neurons, which play a key role in arousal processes. We used optogenetics to activa

SUBMITTER: Rolls A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3156195 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature