REM Sleep in Health and Disease

Catalog description

Since the discovery of REM sleep in 1953, this paradoxical state of an active mind in a paralyzed body has fascinated researchers and clinicians alike. This course will discuss the physiology of REM sleep as it relates to sleep and wake in general. We will survey data on REM sleep across species and across the human life span and critically review theories of the functions of REM sleep. We will examine how REM sleep physiology is involved in different sleep disorders, from narcolepsy to nightmares, and will delve into the research on dreams as subjective experiences associated with REM sleep. Throughout the course, we will attempt to see what REM sleep phenomena can teach us about such general functions as emotional regulation, cognitive processes and motor control.