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Deep sleep maintains learning efficiency of the human brain

Author

Listed:
  • Sara Fattinger

    (Child Development Center, University Children’s Hospital Zurich
    Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University of Zurich)

  • Toon T. de Beukelaar

    (Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group)

  • Kathy L. Ruddy

    (Neural Control of Movement Lab, ETH Zurich)

  • Carina Volk

    (Child Development Center, University Children’s Hospital Zurich
    Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University of Zurich)

  • Natalie C. Heyse

    (Child Development Center, University Children’s Hospital Zurich
    Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University of Zurich)

  • Joshua A. Herbst

    (Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich)

  • Richard H. R. Hahnloser

    (Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University of Zurich
    Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich)

  • Nicole Wenderoth

    (Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University of Zurich
    Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group
    Neural Control of Movement Lab, ETH Zurich)

  • Reto Huber

    (Child Development Center, University Children’s Hospital Zurich
    Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University of Zurich
    Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich)

Abstract

It is hypothesized that deep sleep is essential for restoring the brain’s capacity to learn efficiently, especially in regions heavily activated during the day. However, causal evidence in humans has been lacking due to the inability to sleep deprive one target area while keeping the natural sleep pattern intact. Here we introduce a novel approach to focally perturb deep sleep in motor cortex, and investigate the consequences on behavioural and neurophysiological markers of neuroplasticity arising from dedicated motor practice. We show that the capacity to undergo neuroplastic changes is reduced by wakefulness but restored during unperturbed sleep. This restorative process is markedly attenuated when slow waves are selectively perturbed in motor cortex, demonstrating that deep sleep is a requirement for maintaining sustainable learning efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Sara Fattinger & Toon T. de Beukelaar & Kathy L. Ruddy & Carina Volk & Natalie C. Heyse & Joshua A. Herbst & Richard H. R. Hahnloser & Nicole Wenderoth & Reto Huber, 2017. "Deep sleep maintains learning efficiency of the human brain," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-14, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms15405
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15405
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    Cited by:

    1. Kosha J. Mehta, 2022. "Effect of sleep and mood on academic performance—at interface of physiology, psychology, and education," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-13, December.

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