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Updated: Aug 31, 2025

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Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice
Published on: June 19, 2019
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A cognitive process occurring during sleep is revealed by rapid eye movements
Yuta Senzai1,2, Massimo Scanziani1,2
1Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Summary
Rapid eye movements during REM sleep track virtual head direction changes, revealing gaze shifts in dreams. This research offers insights into the sleeping brain
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Science
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- The function of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep eye movements remains unclear.
- These movements may reflect dream-related gaze shifts or random neural activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between rapid eye movements during REM sleep and neural activity.
- To determine if eye movements in REM sleep represent gaze shifts in a virtual environment.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the head direction (HD) system in the mouse thalamus.
- Recorded HD system activity during sleep and REM sleep.
- Correlated eye movement direction and amplitude with virtual HD changes.
Main Results:
- Rapid eye movements during REM sleep accurately reflect changes in the mouse's virtual head direction.
- The direction and amplitude of eye movements correspond to the direction and amplitude of virtual HD shifts.
Conclusions:
- Rapid eye movements during REM sleep signify gaze shifts within the dream environment.
- These findings provide a novel method for studying cognitive processes during sleep.
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