Shining a Light on the Mechanisms of Sleep for Memory Consolidation

Abstract Purpose of review This paper reviews all optogenetic studies that directly test various sleep states, traits, and circuit-level activity profiles for the consolidation different learning tasks. Recent findings Inhibiting or exciting neurons involved either in production states encoding memories reveals traits are essential memory. REM sleep, NREM N2 transition to (characterized by spindles) integral memory consolidation. Neural during sharp-wave ripples, slow oscillations, theta waves, spindles mediators this process. Summary These lend strong support hypothesis is from hippocampus motor which does not necessarily involve hippocampus. Future research can further probe types dependent on sleep-related neurotransmitters neuromodulators required.