Recording and analysis of multi-neuronal activity in the brainstem involved in REM sleep regulation

睡眠大致分为两种截然不同的状态：非快速眼动睡眠（NREM）和快速眼动睡眠（REM）。快速眼动睡眠的特征是脑电图不同步、眼球快速运动和肌肉张力失调。这些睡眠-觉醒状态之间的行为状态转换是瞬间发生的（尤其是从非快速眼动睡眠到快速眼动睡眠）。为了阐明非快速眼动睡眠向快速眼动睡眠过渡的机制，我们记录了背侧被盖核胆碱能神经元和中叶5 -羟色胺能神经元的状态依赖性活动，这些神经元参与了快速眼动睡眠的诱导和抑制。此外，基于这些生理知识，我们构建了睡眠-觉醒调节的数学模型。该模型很好地再现了动物的实际睡眠和觉醒模式，以及与睡眠相关的神经元活动。此外，人类的睡眠-觉醒节律可以通过操纵几个模型参数来模拟。该研究为定量理解调节睡眠和觉醒的机制提供了一个新的框架。

Sleep is roughly divided into distinct two states known as non-rapid-eye movement sleep (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. REM sleep is characterized by desynchronized EEG, rapid eye movements, and muscle atonia. Behavioral state transitions between these sleep-wake states take place momentarily (especially from NREM sleep to REM sleep). In order to clarify the mechanism of the transition from NREM sleep to REM sleep, we recorded state-dependent activities of neurons in the cholinergic neurons in the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus and serotonergic neurons in the raphe, which are involved in the induction and inhibition of REM sleep. In addition, we constructed a mathematical model of sleep-wake regulation based on such physiological knowledge. The model well reproduces the actual sleep and wakefulness patterns of animals in addition to the sleep-related neuronal activities across state transitions. In addition, human sleep-wakefulness rhythms can be simulated by manipulating only a few model parameters. The study could provide a novel framework for the quantitative understanding of the mechanisms regulating sleep and wakefulness.