Understanding the physiological changes accompanying arousal from sleep

该项目旨在研究上呼吸道扩张器肌肉的神经记忆。在短暂从睡眠中唤醒(唤醒)后，尽管存在抑制性刺激，上呼吸道扩张器肌肉活动仍会在20-30秒内升高。活动增加的原因尚不清楚。这个项目的目的是调查某种形式的神经记忆是否对这种升高的活动起作用。它希望证明，唤醒可以诱导一种不受常规刺激抑制的神经记忆。这一发现有望增加我们对人类正常功能的理解，但也可能对上呼吸道肌肉重要的疾病产生影响，如吞咽困难、睡眠呼吸暂停和许多其他睡眠障碍。

This project aims to investigate neural memory in upper airway dilator muscles. Following brief awakening from sleep (arousal), upper airway dilator muscle activity is elevated for 20–30 seconds despite inhibitory stimuli being present. The cause for the elevated activity is unknown. This project aims to investigate whether a form of neural memory contributes to the elevated activity. It expects to demonstrate that arousal can induce a neural memory that is not inhibited by usual stimuli. The findings are expected to increase our understanding of normal human functioning but may also have implications for conditions where upper airway muscles are important such as dysphagia, sleep apnea and numerous other sleep disorders.