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

Sleep-Wake Cycles01:24

Sleep-Wake Cycles

1.4K
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:
1.4K
Stages of Sleep01:22

Stages of Sleep

198
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...
198
Understanding Sleep01:11

Understanding Sleep

230
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...
230
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder01:15

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

201
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...
201
Narcolepsy01:07

Narcolepsy

106
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.
106
Nightmares and Night Terrors01:18

Nightmares and Night Terrors

94
Nightmares and night terrors represent two distinct types of sleep disturbances that differ in timing, characteristics, and the sleeper's recall of the event. Nightmares are vivid, disturbing dreams that usually awaken the sleeper from REM sleep, a stage of sleep where brain activity is high, and dreams are most frequent. Upon awakening, individuals often have detailed recollections of their nightmares, which can include themes of threats to survival, security, or self-esteem.
Nightmares...
94

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

No Effects of Predictability on Word-Meaning Priming and Incidental Memory.

Journal of cognition·2026
Same author

Recovery sleep after total sleep deprivation preserves neutral and enhances emotional declarative memory.

Sleep advances : a journal of the Sleep Research Society·2026
Same author

Memory consolidation during sleep: a facilitator of new learning?

Neuropsychologia·2025
Same author

Disentangling Sleep's Role in Emotion processing.

Neuropsychologia·2025
Same author

No evidence for a targeted memory reactivation effect on word-meaning priming.

Neuropsychologia·2025
Same author

Does overnight memory consolidation support next-day learning?

Cognition·2025
Same journal

Shaping the future of bioscience education: trends, challenges and community insights.

Emerging topics in life sciences·2026
Same journal

Perceived impact of field trips on students' sense of community, skills and knowledge in Biosciences and Chemistry undergraduate degrees.

Emerging topics in life sciences·2026
Same journal

Clinical assessment meets laboratory science: adapting OSCE methodology for authentic biosciences evaluation in the age of generative AI.

Emerging topics in life sciences·2026
Same journal

A holistic approach to addressing the degree awarding gap: a perspective.

Emerging topics in life sciences·2026
Same journal

Integrating Smart Worksheets into mandatory pre-laboratory exercises increased exercise completion rates and laboratory test grades.

Emerging topics in life sciences·2026
Same journal

Marking the markers: evaluating the potential of professional development through collaborative marking circles.

Emerging topics in life sciences·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 9, 2025

Quantifying Infra-slow Dynamics of Spectral Power and Heart Rate in Sleeping Mice
10:56

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

Published on: August 2, 2017

10.0K

Neural reactivation during human sleep.

Dan Denis1, Scott A Cairney1,2

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, U.K.

Emerging Topics in Life Sciences
|December 6, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Sleep reactivates memories during sleep, strengthening them for long-term storage. This neural reactivation process is crucial for memory consolidation in humans.

Keywords:
cognitionlearning and memorysleep disorders

More Related Videos

Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice
08:58

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

Published on: June 19, 2019

9.7K
Polygraphic Recording Procedure for Measuring Sleep in Mice
08:45

Polygraphic Recording Procedure for Measuring Sleep in Mice

Published on: January 25, 2016

23.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 9, 2025

Quantifying Infra-slow Dynamics of Spectral Power and Heart Rate in Sleeping Mice
10:56

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

Published on: August 2, 2017

10.0K
Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice
08:58

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

Published on: June 19, 2019

9.7K
Polygraphic Recording Procedure for Measuring Sleep in Mice
08:45

Polygraphic Recording Procedure for Measuring Sleep in Mice

Published on: January 25, 2016

23.8K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science
  • Sleep Research

Background:

  • Sleep is vital for memory consolidation, stabilizing and integrating new memories.
  • Rodent studies indicate memory reactivation during sleep is key to memory enhancement.
  • This review examines evidence for memory reactivation in human sleep.

Approach:

  • Review of electrophysiology studies linking neural oscillations (slow oscillations and spindles) to memory reactivation.
  • Analysis of functional imaging studies showing reactivation of learning-related brain regions during sleep.
  • Synthesis of converging evidence from multiple research lines.

Key Points:

  • Memory reactivation occurs during human sleep.
  • Reactivation is tightly coupled with non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep oscillations.
  • Brain regions active during learning show reactivation during post-learning sleep.

Conclusions:

  • Evidence strongly supports a mechanistic role for neural reactivation in memory consolidation during human sleep.
  • Memory reactivation is a functionally relevant process for enhancing memory.
  • This highlights a key neurobiological mechanism underlying sleep-dependent memory enhancement.