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

The prefrontal cortex in sleep.

Amir Muzur1, Edward F. Pace-Schott, J Allan Hobson

  • 1Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Dept of Psychiatry, Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Harvard Medical School, 74 Fenwood Road, 02115, Boston, MA, USA

Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|November 30, 2002
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

Pharmacy on Cres: fragments of the history of the profession and culture

Acta medico-historica adriatica : AMHA·2025
Same author

Nikola Kujundžić - Velika poljička ljekaruša (Bratulićeva ljekaruša): obrada, transkript i faksimil

Acta medico-historica adriatica : AMHA·2025
Same author

Climate change from the perspective of the New Public Health.

Frontiers in public health·2025
Same author

Students' attitudes toward euthanasia and abortion: a cross-cultural study in three Mediterranean countries.

BMC medical ethics·2025
Same author

The eco-ethical contribution of Menico Torchio - a forgotten pioneer of European Bioethics.

Philosophy, ethics, and humanities in medicine : PEHM·2023
Same author

Diversity awareness, diversity competency and access to healthcare for minority groups: perspectives of healthcare professionals in Croatia, Germany, Poland, and Slovenia.

Frontiers in public health·2023
Same journal

Misinformation as strategy: Epistemic consequences and the undermining of shared truth.

Trends in cognitive sciences·2026
Same journal

Geographical psychology: Spatial variation in psychological phenomena and their consequences.

Trends in cognitive sciences·2026
Same journal

Multi-brain neurofeedback: what are we training for?

Trends in cognitive sciences·2026
Same journal

The developing vocal self.

Trends in cognitive sciences·2026
Same journal

Searching beyond decrements: Attentional guidance across the adult lifespan.

Trends in cognitive sciences·2026
Same journal

Looking into working memory through micro eye movements.

Trends in cognitive sciences·2026
See all related articles

The prefrontal cortex is crucial for sleep regulation and executive functions. Acetylcholine may inhibit dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activity during REM sleep, impacting self-awareness.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Sleep Science
  • Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

  • The prefrontal cortex plays a key role in sleep physiology, dreaming, and responses to sleep deprivation.
  • Frontal cortical activity shows distinct patterns during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, with high voltage and slow brain waves.
  • Reduced self-awareness during dreaming is linked to dorsolateral prefrontal cortex deactivation during REM sleep.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a mechanism for the deactivation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during REM sleep.
  • To explain the role of acetylcholine in modulating prefrontal cortex activity during sleep.
  • To highlight the prefrontal cortex's sensitivity to sleep and its impact on executive functions.

Main Methods:

  • Review of experimental data on prefrontal cortex activity during sleep.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of neurochemical changes, specifically acetylcholine release during REM sleep.
  • Correlation of prefrontal cortex function with sleep deprivation effects.

    • Main Results:

    • Experimental data support the prefrontal cortex's involvement in sleep regulation and dreaming.
    • Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex deactivation during REM sleep is proposed to be mediated by acetylcholine.
    • Enhanced acetylcholine release during REM sleep may directly inhibit dorsolateral prefrontal cortical neurons.
    • Sleep deprivation specifically impacts frontal executive functions, underscoring prefrontal cortex sensitivity.

    Conclusions:

    • The prefrontal cortex is integral to normal sleep, dreaming, and the effects of sleep deprivation.
    • Acetylcholine-mediated inhibition of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is a plausible mechanism for reduced self-awareness during REM sleep.
    • The findings emphasize the critical role of the prefrontal cortex in sleep-dependent cognitive processes and executive functions.