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Updated: May 23, 2026

The Sleep Nullifying Apparatus: A Highly Efficient Method of Sleep Depriving Drosophila
Published on: December 14, 2020
Basic biology of sleep
John Harrington1, Teofilo Lee-Chiong
1Division of Sleep Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USA. harringtonj@njhealth.org
Abstract:
Sleep can be defined as a complex reversible state characterized by behavioral quiescence, diminished responsiveness to external stimuli, and a stereotypical species-specific posture. Both components of sleep, non-rapid eye movement and rapid eye movement, are generated and maintained by central nervous system networks that use specific neurotransmitters located in specific areas of the brain. Widespread changes in physiologic processes occur during sleep, and these changes may influence the presentation and severity of specific medical disorders.
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