Sleep and memory interactions during development

We sleep almost one-third of our life, with infants spending up to 80% of their day asleep. Sleep time decreases to ~40% during early adolescence with sleep manifesting itself within a certain time window.

During early development sleep is crucial for neuronal survival, synchronization of brain networks, and cognitive development. Therefore, it is alarming to notice that in recent years children in western societies sleep less.

Due to technical challenges, the effects of distracted sleep on cognition during development is an almost uncharted territory in the fields of neuroscience. With recent advances in rodent neurotechnology we are now able to unravel it.

My preliminary data, obtained with novel electrophysiological, behavioural, optogenetic and imaging techniques, incorporating fundamental as well as translational studies, suggest that proper development of brain connectivity influences the capacity for memory formation and depends on sleep.

The long-term aims of my research are to study the influence of deficient sleep on (1) the functional connectivity between brain areas and (2) on cognitive development, including the epigenetic fingerprint, and (3) whether and how we can influence brain connectivity and memory formation artificially during sleep to overcome developmental problems.

The emphasis for this proposal lies on obtaining new preliminary data for aims 1-2.

The proposed fundamental research will be performed in mice and in close collaboration with human researchers and psychologists. It allows us to identify critical developmental period(s) for sleep and functional connectivity underlying cognition.

My research will be of interest to academia, clinicians, as well as society, and will contribute to a paradigm-shift highlighting the importance of sleep during development.

The grant will allow me to focus on and expand my research under the greater themes of ‘sleep’ and ‘memory formation’ at the ‘Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience’, which provides an outstanding network of scientists and excellent technical facilities.