The suprachiasmatic nucleus and sleep-wake regulation.

Aug 12, 2009Postgraduate medicine

The brain’s internal clock and how it controls sleep and wakefulness

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Circadian BiologyCircadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

Human behavior follows a 24-hour cycle consisting of approximately 16 hours of wakefulness and 8 hours of sleep.

  • Sleep is essential for normal functioning during wakefulness.
  • Separate neural systems are responsible for initiating and maintaining sleep and wakefulness.
  • The sleep-wake cycle is influenced by a homeostatic drive for sleep that increases during wakefulness.
  • An opposing circadian influence, centered in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, promotes wakefulness.
  • Understanding the mechanisms behind sleep may enhance treatment options and research directions.

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