Grant: Operating Grant

Multiple resent studies pointed to a straight link between sleep, plasticity, and learning. Here I propose to investigate direct link between these phenomena. I hypothesize that due to spontaneous firing during waking state, cortical neurons reside at a state of steady synaptic plasticity (facilitation or depression). Long-lasting periods of silence associated with silent phases of sleep slow oscillation, release cortical synapses from steady-state plasticity. A release from steady-state plasticity reinforces synaptic efficacy during consecutive states of either REM sleep or waking state favoring learning. I propose series of electrophysiological experiments that would estimate status of steady-state synaptic plasticity during different states of vigilance, their effects on synaptic efficacy, and associative learning. The results of this study will provide understanding of the role of sleep in memory formation at cellular level.