Sleep and sleep states: Network reactivation
Network reactivation is a key neural property for the generation of innate and learned behavior. The activation of recurrent anatomical loops underlies the different rhythms produced by the brain, characterizing the distinct global states that comprise waking and sleep. Memories encoded by coordinated neuronal ensembles reverberate across all states with intensity inversely proportional to sensory and motor interference. Network reactivation at the level of neuronal populations increases during sleep and is proportional to learning. Reactivation can be traced to molecular mechanisms, such as plasticity-related gene expression during sleep. Waking thought, dreams, and nondreaming sleep mentation reflect memory reactivation under different regimes of neural processing. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.
