Current ideas about the roles of rapid eye movement and non–rapid eye movement sleep in brain development
Marit S. Knoop, Eline R. de Groot, Jeroen Dudink
Abstract
Understanding the links between sleep and brain development is important, as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM (NREM) sleep seem to contribute to different aspects of brain maturation. If children have sleep problems, REM sleep and NREM sleep are likely to have different consequences for their developing brain, depending on their age. We highlight important discoveries from human and animal research on the role sleep plays in brain development. A hypothetical model is presented to explain the dynamic relationship of REM sleep and NREM sleep with different processes of brain maturation, with implications for current neonatal care and future research.
Topics & Concepts
Non-rapid eye movement sleepEye movementSleep (system call)Rapid eye movement sleepNeuroscienceNeuroscience of sleepBrain developmentPsychologyComputer scienceOperating systemSleep and Wakefulness ResearchNeonatal and fetal brain pathologyNeuroscience of respiration and sleep