Rare cortical neurons can synchronize brain activity and promote sleep in mice
Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine have identified a rare type of cortical neuron, Sst-Chodl, that actively synchronizes brain activity to promote sleep. This challenges the traditional view that the cortex is merely a passive participant in the sleep cycle.
Why it matters
This discovery provides a new biological target for treating sleep disorders and deepens our understanding of neurological function.
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Add as preferred source Cortical long-range inhibitory interneurons help synchronize activity across widely separated cortical regions and promote sleep. Credit: Charlie Padgett What makes the brain fall asleep? For nearly a century, scientists have looked to structures deep within the brain for the answer. In the traditional view, these regions control when we sleep and wake, while the cerebral cortex—the part of the brain involved in perception, thought and memory—is largely a passive follower.
A new study led by Dr. Renata Batista-Brito, Ph.D., associate professor of neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and published Sept. 9 in Nature , suggests that this picture is incomplete.
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