Paradoxical sleep disentangled – PARADOX

Paradoxical sleep (PS) and wakefulness (WK), while fundamentally different consciousness states, are characterized by similar EEG patterns. Here, we aim to disentangle this paradox by investigating the differences in sensorimotor integration between PS and WK using the somatotopically highly organized mouse somatosensory system as a model and a combination of state-of-art electrophysiological, imaging and computational methods. We propose to study if, during PS : 1) the efficient transfer of sensory information to the cortex is curtailed within the upward sensory stream. 2) the cortex is in an increased state of inhibitory control, driven either locally or externally through the specific activation of corticocortical and thalamocortical connections. 3) there is a global re-organization of cortical dynamics that alters perception and cognitive abilities. Our experimental data will feed dynamic thalamocortical computational models.