Events

“Imaging the causes and consequences of sleep in the brain”

Laura D. Lewis, Ph.D.
Athinoula A. Martinos Associate Professor
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

When we fall asleep, most aspects of brain function and physiology are quickly transformed, and this process is essential for brain health. Our work aims to develop noninvasive imaging methods to understand the sleeping human brain. This talk will first outline how fast MRI imaging strategies can be used to identify brain circuits that regulate sleep. In addition, we explore the consequences of sleep for brain function, and find that sleep causes waves of fluid flow to emerge in the brain, suggesting potential ways in which sleep maintains brain health. Finally, I will discuss how sleep deprivation and aging affect these processes. Together, these studies discover dynamics unique to the sleeping brain, and provide insight into the mechanisms that unfold as we transition between wakefulness and sleep.