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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Our work in this area is supported by the Wellcome Trust (grants 71436, 78311 and 78403).
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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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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.2445
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