Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

REM sleep - by default?

J A Horne1

  • 1Sleep Research Centre, Human Sciences Department, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, Leicestershire, UK. j.a.horne@lboro.ac.uk

Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
|December 19, 2000
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Sleep restriction and serving accuracy in performance tennis players, and effects of caffeine.

Physiology & behavior·2013
Same author

'Post-lunch' sleepiness during prolonged, monotonous driving - effects of meal size.

Physiology & behavior·2011
Same author

Effectiveness of UK motorway services areas in reducing sleep-related and other collisions.

Accident; analysis and prevention·2010
Same author

We know when we are sleepy: subjective versus objective measurements of moderate sleepiness in healthy adults.

Biological psychology·2010
Same author

A high sugar content, low caffeine drink does not alleviate sleepiness but may worsen it.

Human psychopharmacology·2006
Same author

Screening for hepatitis C virus in the Dartmoor prison population: an observational study.

Journal of public health (Oxford, England)·2004

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep may function as a primitive state that tones the cortex and distracts from stress, potentially substituting for wakefulness. REM sleep offers limited advantages over wakefulness for cognitive benefits like memory consolidation.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Sleep Science
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Existing theories of REM sleep function include Ontogenetic, Homeostatic, and Phylogenetic hypotheses.
  • These theories suggest REM sleep aids cortical development, maintains cortical tone, substitutes for wakefulness, and has calming effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To integrate existing theories of REM sleep function with recent findings.
  • To propose REM sleep as a primitive "non-wakefulness" state or a waking antagonist.
  • To re-evaluate the role of REM sleep in cortical regulation, stress response, and cognitive functions.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical framework development integrating existing hypotheses and recent research findings.
  • Analysis of REM sleep's characteristics in relation to wakefulness and non-REM sleep.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Consideration of findings from rodent studies on REM sleep deprivation and stress.

    • Main Results:

    • REM sleep may serve as a default state of "non-wakefulness" or a waking antagonist, preceding non-REM sleep.
    • Its "toning up" function involves inhibiting motor, sensory, and emotional systems, potentially simulating "flight or fight" activity for distraction.
    • REM sleep can be reduced or replaced by wakefulness without apparent adverse effects, and offers minimal advantage over wakefulness for cerebral recovery or memory consolidation.

    Conclusions:

    • The integrated framework suggests REM sleep's primary roles are cortical toning and distraction, rather than essential for recovery or memory consolidation.
    • REM sleep's primitive nature and similarity to wakefulness support its role as a "waking antagonist" state.
    • Wakefulness may effectively substitute for REM sleep in many functions, challenging its necessity for positive cognitive outcomes.