Neuronal Activity in the Cerebellum During the Sleep-Wakefulness Transition in Mice
1 Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
2 State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital/Research Institute of Surgery, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China
3 Squadron 10, Battalion 3, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
Abstract
Cerebellar malfunction can lead to sleep disturbance such as excessive daytime sleepiness, suggesting that the cerebellum may be involved in regulating sleep and/or wakefulness. However, understanding the features of cerebellar regulation in sleep and wakefulness states requires a detailed characterization of neuronal activity within this area. By performing multiple-unit recordings in mice, we showed that Purkinje cells (PCs) in the cerebellar cortex exhibited increased firing activity prior to the transition from sleep to wakefulness. Notably, the increased PC activity resulted from the inputs of low-frequency non-PC units in the cerebellar cortex. Moreover, the increased PC activity was accompanied by decreased activity in neurons of the deep cerebellar nuclei at the non-rapid eye-movement sleep-wakefulness transition. Our results provide in vivo electrophysiological evidence that the cerebellum has the potential to actively regulate the sleep-wakefulness transition.
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