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The slow (<1 Hz) rhythm of non-REM sleep: a dialogue between three cardinal oscillators

Nature Neuroscience volume 13, pages 9–17 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

The slow (<1 Hz) rhythm, the most important electroencephalogram (EEG) signature of non–rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, is generally viewed as originating exclusively from neocortical networks. Here we argue that the full manifestation of this fundamental sleep oscillation in a corticothalamic module requires the dynamic interaction of three cardinal oscillators: one predominantly synaptically based cortical oscillator and two intrinsic, conditional thalamic oscillators. The functional implications of this hypothesis are discussed in relation to other EEG features of NREM sleep, with respect to coordinating activities in local and distant neuronal assemblies and in the context of facilitating cellular and network plasticity during slow-wave sleep.

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Figure 1: The EEG slow (<1 Hz) rhythm and its cellular counterpart in cortical and thalamic neurons.
Figure 2: The slow (<1 Hz) oscillation in cortical and thalamic neurons in vivo and its reproduction in vitro.
Figure 3: The frequency of the EEG slow rhythm at different depths of sleep and anesthesia matches the voltage-dependence of the slow oscillation frequency in thalamocortical neurons.
Figure 4: The start of the thalamocortical neuron UP state firing precedes that of the cortical UP states.
Figure 5: Synchronized thalamic slow oscillation during natural sleep and in a brain slice.
Figure 6: Schematic flow diagram of the dialog between cortical and thalamic oscillators that underlies the slow (<1 Hz) rhythm in a thalamocortical module.

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Acknowledgements

Our work in this area is supported by the Wellcome Trust (grants 71436, 78311 and 78403).

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    Present address: Present address: Eli Lilly UK, Windlesham, UK.,

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    Vincenzo Crunelli & Stuart W Hughes

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Crunelli, V., Hughes, S. The slow (<1 Hz) rhythm of non-REM sleep: a dialogue between three cardinal oscillators. Nat Neurosci 13, 9–17 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.2445

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