Abstract

Reciprocal interactions between wakefulness and sleep substantially influence human brain function in both states of vigilance. On the one hand, there is evidence that regionally-specialized brain activity during wakefulness is modulated by the interaction between a local use-dependent buildup of homeostatic sleep pressure and circadian signals. On the other hand, brain activity during sleep, although mainly constrained by genuine sleep oscillations, shows wakedependent regionally-specific modulations, which are involved in the dissipation of local homeostatic sleep pressure and memory consolidation.

Keywords: Sleep, slow waves, spindles, REM sleep, circadian rhythms, cognition, memory, neuroimaging, circadian signals, memory consolidation, regional modifications of brain, homeostatic regulation, core components, posterior cingulate cortices