The Roles of NREM and REM Sleep On Memory Consolidation

The Roles of NREM and REM Sleep On Memory Consolidation

All mammals exhibit Rapid-Eye-Movement, or REM, sleep, and yet on certain levels this type of sleep would seem to be disadvantageous. During REM sleep, which is when most dreams occur, the brain uses much more energy than during non-REM (NREM) sleep. (1) This "waste" of energy coupled with the increased vulnerability of this state on account of the body's paralysis at this time suggests that there must be a very important reason, or reasons, for the existence of REM sleep and in extension of dreams. Determining the function of dreams, however, has proved very problematic with many arguments which directly oppose each other. Some of the primary functions of dreaming have been tied to is role in development, its production of neuro-proteins, and also to how it may allow for the "rehearsal" of neurons and neuronal pathways. The influence of dreaming on learning is one of the hottest debates. Some argue that dreams aid in learning, others that dreams aid in forgetting, and yet others that dreams have no effect on learning or memory. That REM sleep seems to aid in development might argue that REM sleep may be connected to learning. It seems that most scientists believe that REM sleep aids in certain memory consolidations although some argue that it actually leads to "reverse learning.

Before discussing the role of NREM and REM in learning, it is necessary to clarify the identity of and differences between the two. This type of sleep is marked by different stages based on different the different brainwaves exhibited. REM sleep differs from NREM in that most dreams occur during REM sleep although the two activities are not synonymous. REM is also marked by an incre...

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...ource

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro03/web1/alippman.html

3)The REM Sleep-Memory Consolidation Hypothesis," article on Center for Sleep Research's homepage, Interesting site for sleep disorders

http://www.nrip.ucla.edu/sleepresearch/science/1058full.html

4)Nature website, good for scientific articles

http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/news020218/020218-20

5)MIT News website, interesting articles

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2002/dreams.html

6); TALK ABOUT SLEEP, Inc., basics answers about sleep

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro03/web2/)%20http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/basics/Sleep_Understanding_NINDS.htm

7)Harvard Undergraduate Society for Neuroscience, connected to Computer Science Program

http://hcs.harvard.edu/~husn/BRAIN/vol1/sleep.html

8)UCSC Psych Website,

http://psych.ucsc.edu/dreams/Articles/purpose.html