Such cognitive functions as perception, memory and orientation change markedly when we first fall asleep and then change even more dramatically when we begin to dream. Proceeding from the philosophical assumption that the brain-mind is an integrated system, we believe that state-dependent aspects of cognition may best be understood in terms of the now well- documented changes in brain state that differentiate waking, non-REM (NREM) and REM sleep. Our basic concept is that the state-dependent changes In cognition may be related to the shift in the balance of brainstem neuromodulatory system - a shift from aminergic dominance in waking to cholinergic dominance in REM sleep. We plan to study the effect of this modulatory shift by analyzing cognitive functioning in the immediate post-awakening period, when the brain still evinces characteristics of the preceding sleep state. We propose a series of studies designed to better characterize and model the state-dependent nature of both behavioral and subjective aspects of cognition. We will measure state-dependent aspects of performance on two behavioral tests: semantic priming which measures associative memory and perceptual cuing which measures the orienting of attention. We have shown that both are sensitive to changes in brain-mind state. Building on previous observations documenting the discontinuities of the subjects' orientation to time, place and person during dreaming, we plan to quantify the intensity of orientational instability using a new approach based on graph theory. We will also explore the validity of the concept of dream plot coherence using a novel """"""""spliced dream"""""""" technique. One unique feature of the proposed research is the longitudinal, repeated measures design which has an extended home-based data collection segment interposed between standard laboratory assessments. To achieve this goal, we will use a newly developed state assessment technique, called the """"""""Nightcap,"""""""" along with a portable computer-based cognition assessment system. Because we will be able to collect data in a home setting, we expect to eliminate many of the disadvantages of standard sleep laboratory experimentation, and obtain more reliably naturalistic data.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH048832-03
Application #
2248390
Study Section
Perception and Cognition Review Committee (PEC)
Project Start
1993-09-01
Project End
1997-08-31
Budget Start
1995-09-30
Budget End
1996-08-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1995
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Harvard University
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
082359691
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02115
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Stickgold, Robert; Manoach, Dara S (2017) The Importance of Sleep in Fear Conditioning and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging 2:109-110
Demanuele, Charmaine; Bartsch, Ullrich; Baran, Bengi et al. (2017) Coordination of Slow Waves With Sleep Spindles Predicts Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation in Schizophrenia. Sleep 40:
Maski, Kiran; Steinhart, Erin; Holbrook, Hannah et al. (2017) Impaired memory consolidation in children with obstructive sleep disordered breathing. PLoS One 12:e0186915
Tucker, Matthew A; Nguyen, Nam; Stickgold, Robert (2016) Experience Playing a Musical Instrument and Overnight Sleep Enhance Performance on a Sequential Typing Task. PLoS One 11:e0159608
Manoach, Dara S; Pan, Jen Q; Purcell, Shaun M et al. (2016) Reduced Sleep Spindles in Schizophrenia: A Treatable Endophenotype That Links Risk Genes to Impaired Cognition? Biol Psychiatry 80:599-608

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