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Deep sleep divides the cortex into opposite modes of anatomical-functional coupling
Enzo Tagliazucchi1,2, Nicolas Crossley3, Edward T Bullmore4,5,6
1Department of Neurology and Brain Imaging Center, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main. Frankfurt am Main, 60528, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany. tagliazucchi.enzo@googlemail.com.
Brain Structure & Function
|December 10, 2015
Summary
Brain anatomy and function become more similar during deep sleep, especially in sensory areas. Higher cognitive regions show looser coupling, suggesting active disruption and restoration during sleep.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Systems Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- The brain's anatomical structure influences its functional activity patterns during wakefulness.
- Understanding how this relationship evolves during sleep is crucial for comprehending brain function across different states.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the developmental changes in the coupling between anatomical and functional brain connectivity from wakefulness to deep sleep.
- To explore regional differences in this coupling during sleep.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of whole-brain anatomical and functional connectivity networks.
- Comparison of connectivity patterns during wakefulness and deep sleep.
Main Results:
- A global increase in the similarity between anatomical and functional connectivity networks was observed during deep sleep.
- Primary sensory cortices showed increased alignment of functional connectivity with anatomical connectivity during sleep.
- Associative cortices exhibited decreased alignment, suggesting active disruption of functional connectivity patterns.
Conclusions:
- Deep sleep strengthens the anatomical-functional coupling in primary sensory areas, aligning with their environmental responses.
- Higher-order associative cortices experience a decoupling, indicating active disruption of functional connectivity essential for conscious information processing.
- Anatomical connectivity serves as a stabilizing anchor for the restoration of function upon awakening.
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