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 Concept Videos

The Mitotic Spindle02:27

The Mitotic Spindle

8.0K
The mitotic spindle—or spindle apparatus—is a eukaryotic, cytoskeletal structure made up of long protein fibers called microtubules. Formed during cell division, the spindle separates sister chromatids and moves them to opposite ends of a parental cell, where the now individual chromosomes are distributed to two daughter cell nuclei.
The bipolar configuration of the mitotic spindle facilitates chromosomal segregation, preparing the cell for division. One mechanism that ensures...
8.0K
Spindle Assembly02:50

Spindle Assembly

4.3K
Spindle assembly occurs through three, often coexisting, pathways – the centrosome-mediated pathway, the chromatin-mediated pathway, and the microtubule-mediated pathway – collectively contributing to form a robust spindle apparatus.
In most cells, centrosomes are the primary microtubule nucleation centers. In the centrosome-mediated pathway, the G2-prophase transition triggers centrosome maturation and increased microtubule nucleation. Progressive nucleation results in a...
4.3K
Cholinergic Receptors: Nicotinic01:15

Cholinergic Receptors: Nicotinic

5.6K
Nicotinic receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that are activated by acetylcholine and nicotine. Upon activation, they cause a rapid increase in the permeability of cells to K+, Na+, and Ca2+, followed by depolarization and excitation. They are in the autonomic ganglia, skeletal neuromuscular junction, CNS, and adrenal medulla.
There are two types of nicotinic receptors: neuromuscular (NM/NM/N1) and neuronal (NN/NN/N2). The two families differ based on their location and selectivity to...
5.6K
Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation01:13

Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation

936
Insufficient sleep refers to not getting the recommended amount of sleep for optimal functioning, even if it's just slightly less than needed. Sleep insufficiency may occur due to lifestyle choices, such as staying up late for social events or work, resulting in routinely getting less sleep than required. For example, consistently sleeping 6 hours when the body needs 7-9 hours can lead to cumulative effects on health and well-being.
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
936
The Spindle Assembly Checkpoint02:19

The Spindle Assembly Checkpoint

3.8K
The spindle assembly checkpoint is a molecular surveillance mechanism ensuring the fidelity of chromosome segregation during anaphase. The checkpoint monitors the completion of all the prerequisite steps before chromosome segregation to determine whether the segregation process should proceed or be delayed.
Many proteins function together to control the spindle assembly checkpoint. Mutations affecting these proteins may allow cells to proceed into anaphase prematurely, resulting in the...
3.8K
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine01:27

CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine

1.3K
Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...
1.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Seizure relapse in new onset epilepsy: It is not always drug resistance.

Epilepsia·2026
Same author

Isolating Eye-Movement Artifacts from EEG Signals.

International journal of neural systems·2026
Same author

What do teachers think about students' emotions? A mixed-method exploration of their implicit theories.

European journal of psychology of education = Journal europeen de psychologie de l'education·2026
Same author

Mosaic human cortical organoids model mTOR-related focal cortical dysplasia through DEPDC5 deletion.

Brain : a journal of neurology·2026
Same author

International consensus for the assessment of social cognition in neurocognitive disorders: framework definition and clinical recommendations of the SIGNATURE initiative.

Alzheimer's research & therapy·2025
Same author

Earable Multimodal Sensing and Stimulation: A Prospective Towards Unobtrusive Closed-Loop Biofeedback.

IEEE reviews in biomedical engineering·2025
Same journal

Postmortem Evidence of CRH Neuron Reduction in Narcolepsy Without Cataplexy With Borderline Hypocretin-1 Levels.

Journal of sleep research·2026
Same journal

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Versus Mandibular Advancement Devices Impact on Cardio-Metabolic Outcomes in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials.

Journal of sleep research·2026
Same journal

Strong and Weak Episodic Memories Are Shaped by Multiple Cycles of NREM Spindles and REM Alpha Bursts.

Journal of sleep research·2026
Same journal

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Biological Sex Differences in Sleep Spindles and Slow Wave Activity in Adults With and Without Insomnia.

Journal of sleep research·2026
Same journal

Thoracoabdominal Asynchrony in Healthy Children.

Journal of sleep research·2026
Same journal

Chronotype and Time of Day Effects in Oddball Task Performance: Behavioural and Cerebral Correlates.

Journal of sleep research·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 31, 2026

Probing Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Function in Mouse Brain Slices via Laser Flash Photolysis of Photoactivatable Nicotine
10:48

Probing Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Function in Mouse Brain Slices via Laser Flash Photolysis of Photoactivatable Nicotine

Published on: January 25, 2019

9.7K

Nicotine increases sleep spindle activity.

Christian O'Reilly1, Florian Chapotot2, Francesca Pittau3

  • 1Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland.

Journal of Sleep Research
|December 20, 2018
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Nicotine significantly enhances sleep spindle activity, increasing their number, amplitude, and duration. This suggests nicotine may improve memory by boosting these key sleep features through nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

Keywords:
automatic detectionautosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsybrain rhythmsnicotinic acetylcholine receptornon-rapid eye movement

More Related Videos

Assaying Locomotor Activity to Study Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Parameters in Drosophila
18:08

Assaying Locomotor Activity to Study Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Parameters in Drosophila

Published on: September 28, 2010

48.2K
The Sleep Nullifying Apparatus: A Highly Efficient Method of Sleep Depriving Drosophila
06:06

The Sleep Nullifying Apparatus: A Highly Efficient Method of Sleep Depriving Drosophila

Published on: December 14, 2020

4.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 31, 2026

Probing Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Function in Mouse Brain Slices via Laser Flash Photolysis of Photoactivatable Nicotine
10:48

Probing Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Function in Mouse Brain Slices via Laser Flash Photolysis of Photoactivatable Nicotine

Published on: January 25, 2019

9.7K
Assaying Locomotor Activity to Study Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Parameters in Drosophila
18:08

Assaying Locomotor Activity to Study Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Parameters in Drosophila

Published on: September 28, 2010

48.2K
The Sleep Nullifying Apparatus: A Highly Efficient Method of Sleep Depriving Drosophila
06:06

The Sleep Nullifying Apparatus: A Highly Efficient Method of Sleep Depriving Drosophila

Published on: December 14, 2020

4.2K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Sleep Science
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Both nicotine and sleep spindles are linked to improved memory formation.
  • Cholinergic pathways, involving nicotinic and muscarinic receptors, are known to influence sleep processes, including sleep spindles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of nicotine on the characteristics of sleep spindles.
  • To explore the interaction between nicotine administration and sleep spindle activity in healthy individuals.

Main Methods:

  • A single-blind, randomized study design was employed.
  • Ten healthy participants underwent polysomnography for two nights, one with a nicotine patch and one with a placebo (sham patch).
  • Sleep spindle characteristics including duration, amplitude, oscillation frequency, and density were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Nicotine administration led to a significant increase in sleep spindle density (spindles per minute).
  • Sleep spindles exhibited higher amplitude and longer duration under nicotine exposure.
  • These changes were statistically significant, indicating a clear effect of nicotine on spindle activity.

Conclusions:

  • Nicotine enhances sleep spindle activity, characterized by increased number, amplitude, and duration.
  • The findings suggest that nicotine may improve memory consolidation by modulating sleep spindle activity via nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.
  • This research provides a potential mechanism linking nicotine's cognitive benefits to specific sleep phenomena.