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Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice
Published on: June 19, 2019
Locomotion and nightwaking
1Department of Education, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel. anats@construct.haifa.ac.il
Objective:
In this study we addressed the association between two major achievements of infancy: independent locomotion and 'sleeping through the night'.
Methods:
Mothers of 107 healthy infants aged between five and eight months completed a sleep questionnaire and a motor checklist.
Results And Conclusions:
Infants who were already crawling had more bedtime difficulties and nightwaking than did pre-crawlers. Among 7- and 8-month-old infants, locomotion predicted 17% of nightwaking variance, after controlling for age and gender. In discussing the developmental implications of locomotion we suggest that crawling may not only 'broaden the mind' but also 'cost' sleep. More studies, across time, on how motor development and sleep-wake regulation interrelate are recommended.
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