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Sleep and brain evolution across the human lifespan: A mutual embrace
Carlotta Mutti1, Francesco Misirocchi1, Alessandro Zilioli1
1Department of General and Specialized Medicine, Parma University Hospital, Parma, Italy.
Frontiers in Network Physiology
|March 17, 2023
Summary
Sleep and brain development are intricately linked throughout life, from prenatal stages to adulthood. Understanding this relationship, particularly sleep microstructure, enhances clinical insights into overall brain wellness and potential pathologies.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Sleep Science
Background:
- Sleep is a crucial indicator of brain health, evolving dynamically with maturation.
- Sleep patterns change significantly across the human lifespan, reflecting brain development.
- Concealed pathological processes can manifest through alterations in sleep.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the intertwined relationship between sleep and brain evolution across the human lifespan.
- To highlight the significance of sleep microstructure dynamics in understanding brain wellness.
- To provide a foundation for improved clinical understanding of patient wellbeing.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on sleep ontogenesis and brain development.
- Analysis of sleep microstructure changes across different life stages.
- Synthesis of current knowledge on the mutual influence between brain and sleep evolution.
Main Results:
- Sleep and brain development follow a parallel, mutually influential trajectory from prenatal life onwards.
- Sleep microstructure exhibits distinct dynamic changes corresponding to developmental milestones.
- The study synthesizes key findings on the lifelong interplay between sleep and brain maturation.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the ontogenesis of sleep and brain development offers a holistic perspective on clinical wellbeing.
- Sleep microstructure dynamics are vital for assessing brain health throughout life.
- This review underscores the importance of considering sleep's evolutionary trajectory in neurological assessments.
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