The purpose of this work is to review recent findings highlighting the mechanisms and functions of the neuronal oscillations that structure brain activity across the sleep-wake cycle. An increasing number of studies conducted in humans and animals, and using a variety of techniques ranging from intracellular recording to functional neuroimaging, has provided important insight into the mechanisms and functional properties of these brain rhythms. Studies of these rhythms are fundamental not only for basic neuroscience, but also for clinical neuroscience. At the basic science level, neuronal oscillations shape the interactions between different areas of the brain and profoundly impact neural responses to the environment, thereby mediating the processing of information in the brain. At the clinical level, brain oscillations are affected in numerous neurological conditions and might provide useful biomarkers that inform about patients’ evolution and vulnerability. During sleep, these brain rhythms could provide functional support to internal states that govern the basic maintenance of local circuit and systemic interactions. During wake, the rhythmicity of cortical and subcortical circuits have been linked with sensory processing, cognitive operations, and preparation for action. This book will attempt to link together these sleep and wake functional roles at the level of neuroimaging and electroencephalographic measures, local field potentials, and even at the cellular level.
Dr. Thanh Dang-Vu is a Neurologist, Director of the Sleep, Cognition and Neuroimaging Lab (SCNLab), Associate Director for Clinical Research at the Centre de Recherche de l’Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), and Professor in the department of Health, Kinesiology and Applied Physiology at Concordia University (Montreal, Canada). He is also a researcher at Concordia University’s Perform Center and Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology. His lab investigates the brain mechanisms of sleep disorders and the role of neuronal oscillations during sleep in memory consolidation and cognition, using multimodal approaches with neuroimaging and neurophysiology.
Dr. Richard Courtemanche is a neurophysiologist who has been a member of the Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology for over 15 years at Concordia University in Montréal, Québec, Canada. He holds the position of Professor in the Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Applied Physiology, of which he is a former Chair, and is also Associate Dean, Academic Programs, for his Faculty. He has also been a researcher with the university’s PERFORM Centre since its inception. His research program focuses on the local and wide-ranging networks in the brain supporting oscillatory activity and motor control, with a particular focus on the cerebellum and basal ganglia. While his enthusiasm for sports and kinesiology background sometimes leaks out in his writing, his keenness for understanding network mechanisms has never wavered, and has defined research questions in his lab.
