Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Sleep-Wake Cycles

Sleep-Wake Cycles

Sleep is an essential physiological process vital to maintaining overall well-being. The reticular activating system (RAS), a network of neurons in the brainstem, regulates wakefulness and sleep. While it may seem passive, sleep consists of distinct cycles, each with its unique characteristics and functions. Two key sleep phases are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM).
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:

Stages of Sleep

Stages of Sleep

Sleep progresses through distinct stages, each characterized by specific brain wave patterns and physiological responses ranging from wakefulness to stages of non-rapid eye movement, known as non-REM, to rapid eye movement, referred to as REM. Understanding these stages helps in recognizing how sleep supports various bodily and cognitive functions.
Before sleep begins, in wakefulness, the brain exhibits primarily beta waves, which are high in frequency and low in amplitude, indicating alertness...

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by pervasive, uncontrolled sleepiness and other sleep disturbances. One of its hallmark symptoms is an abrupt transition to REM sleep upon falling asleep, which causes symptoms typically associated with this phase to occur unexpectedly during wakefulness. These include the following symptoms, which typically last from a minute or two to half an hour.

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a sleep disorder characterized by the absence of muscle paralysis that normally occurs during the REM phase of sleep. This absence allows individuals to physically act out their dreams, which are often vivid and disturbing. Common behaviors exhibited during episodes include kicking, punching, and yelling. These actions can be dangerous, potentially leading to injuries for the person with RBD or their bed partner.
RBD is significantly associated with...

Understanding Sleep

Understanding Sleep

Sleep, an essential biological state, involves significant reductions in physical activity, sensory awareness, and interaction with the environment. This complex physiological process is primarily regulated by specific brain regions, notably the hypothalamus and pons, which govern the sleep-wake cycle or circadian rhythm.
The circadian rhythm, a nearly 24-hour cycle, is deeply influenced by environmental light cues. Light exposure directly affects the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates...

Nonconscious Mimicry

Nonconscious Mimicry

Nonconscious mimicry occurs when individuals alter their mannerisms to match the behaviors and expressions of those nearby, without intention.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Phase transitions in evolutionary dynamics.

Chaos (Woodbury, N.Y.)·2023

Same author

Phase transitions in biology: from bird flocks to population dynamics.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2021

Same author

A new look for the Journal of Biological Physics.

Journal of biological physics·2020

Same author

Phase transition behaviour in yeast and bacterial populations under stress.

Royal Society open science·2020

Same author

Multiple phase transitions in an agent-based evolutionary model with neutral fitness.

Royal Society open science·2017

Same author

Chimera states in a Hodgkin-Huxley model of thermally sensitive neurons.

Chaos (Woodbury, N.Y.)·2016

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 1, 2025

Quantifying Infra-slow Dynamics of Spectral Power and Heart Rate in Sleeping Mice

Quantifying Infra-slow Dynamics of Spectral Power and Heart Rate in Sleeping Mice

Published on: August 2, 2017

Neural Synchronization, Chimera States and Sleep Asymmetry.

Tera A Glaze¹, Sonya Bahar¹

¹Department of Physics and Astronomy and Center for Neurodynamics, University of Missouri at St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States.

Frontiers in Network Physiology

|April 24, 2023

Summary

This study models brain hemisphere sleep dynamics using neural oscillators. Findings reveal asymmetric brain activity and synchronization, supporting models of unihemispheric and asymmetric sleep states.

Keywords:

asymmetric sleep chimera states neural synchronization sleep dynamics unihemispheric sleep

More Related Videos

Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice

Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice

Published on: June 19, 2019

Optogenetic Entrainment of Hippocampal Theta Oscillations in Behaving Mice

Optogenetic Entrainment of Hippocampal Theta Oscillations in Behaving Mice

Published on: June 29, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 1, 2025

Quantifying Infra-slow Dynamics of Spectral Power and Heart Rate in Sleeping Mice

Quantifying Infra-slow Dynamics of Spectral Power and Heart Rate in Sleeping Mice

Published on: August 2, 2017

Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice

Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice

Published on: June 19, 2019

Optogenetic Entrainment of Hippocampal Theta Oscillations in Behaving Mice

Optogenetic Entrainment of Hippocampal Theta Oscillations in Behaving Mice

Published on: June 29, 2018

Area of Science:

Computational Neuroscience
Neuroscience
Sleep Science

Background:

Sleep states involve complex neural dynamics.
Brain hemispheres can exhibit independent or coordinated activity.
Modeling asymmetric sleep is crucial for understanding neurological conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

To model the dynamics of sleep states in two connected brain hemispheres.
To investigate emergent behaviors like chimera-like states and phase-clustering.
To provide a computational basis for unihemispheric and asymmetric sleep.

Main Methods:

Utilized coupled Hindmarsh-Rose neural oscillators to simulate brain hemispheres.
Analyzed within-group mean field activity and stochastic phase synchronization.
Examined differences in bursting dynamics and synchronization between hemispheres.

Main Results:

Isolated hemispheres showed alternating sleep-promoting and wake-promoting neuronal activity.
Connected hemispheres exhibited chimera-like behaviors and phase-cluster states.
Observed distinct synchronization patterns and bursting dynamics between hemispheres.

Conclusions:

The model successfully replicates asymmetric neural dynamics relevant to sleep.
Findings support the modeling of unihemispheric sleep in animals and asymmetric sleep in humans.
This work offers insights into sleep disturbances like sleep apnea and the first-night effect.