The Timing of Sleep and Wakefulness: On the Substructure and Dynamics of the Circadian Pacemakers Underlying the Wake-Sleep Cycle (Studies of Brain Function (3))

The brain functions like a computer composed of subsystems which in­ teract in a hierarchical manner. But it is not a single hierarchy, but a com­ plex system of hierarchies each of which has its very own and unique fea­ ture. One of these concerns the cyclic or rhythmic control of neuronal ac­ tivities which, among others, give rise to alternating states of wakefulness and sleep. The phenomenon of sleep still remains a mystery. The present monograph does not give us any new insights into its meaning and significance. Yet sleep research may not be the same after the appearance of this book be­ cause it gives us a comprehensive mathematical theory which opens our eyes to new insights into the mechanism of the rhythm generation that under­ lies the "wake-sleep" cycle. No one who has worked his way through this book can again look at ex­ perimental data without recognizing features which the "models" developed in its various chapters so strikingly reveal. Front Matter....Pages I-XVIII Introduction....Pages 1-5 A Description of Activity-rhythm Recordings and Their Implications....Pages 6-13 The Pacemaker and its Precision....Pages 14-22 A Class of Models for Mutual Entrainment of an Ensemble of Neurons....Pages 23-47 A “Type Model” and its Behavior: Partial and Loose-Knit Mutual Entrainment....Pages 48-60 Precision of Model Pacemakers....Pages 61-81 Influences of Constant Light Intensity....Pages 82-108 A Brief Detour: Further Thoughts About the Discriminator of the Models....Pages 109-119 General Features of Entrainment: the Type Model....Pages 120-140 Responses to Single Light Pulses. Part I: Nocturnal Rodents....Pages 141-158 Responses to Single Light Pulses. Part II: Diurnal Birds....Pages 159-170 Plasticity in Pacemaker Period: a Dynamic Memory....Pages 171-198 Predictions from Coupled Stochastic Systems....Pages 199-215 Further Predictions: a Modest Success and Two Problem Cases....Pages 216-229 Morphology of the Models: Where is the Pacemaker?....Pages 230-242 A Reprise and Synopsis: On the Advantages of Apparent Redundancy....Pages 243-252 Back Matter....Pages 253-266 The brain functions like a computer composed of subsystems which inƯ teract in a hierarchical manner. But it is not a single hierarchy, but a comƯ plex system of hierarchies each of which has its very own and unique feaƯ ture. One of these concerns the cyclic or rhythmic control of neuronal acƯ tivities which, among others, give rise to alternating states of wakefulness and sleep. The phenomenon of sleep still remains a mystery. The present monograph does not give us any new insights into its meaning and significance. Yet sleep research may not be the same after the appearance of this book beƯ cause it gives us a comprehensive mathematical theory which opens our eyes to new insights into the mechanism of the rhythm generation that underƯ lies the "wake-sleep" cycle. No one who has worked his way through this book can again look at exƯ perimental data without recognizing features which the "models" developed in its various chapters so strikingly reveal