Scientists Who Uncovered The Mystery Of Rem Sleep

The discovery of REM sleep is attributed to the work of graduate student Eugene Aserinsky and his PhD advisor Nathaniel Kleitman at the University of Chicago in 1953. Aserinsky's discovery came after hours spent studying the eyelids of sleeping subjects, including his 8-year-old son. Aserinsky and Kleitman went on to demonstrate that this rapid-eye movement was correlated with dreaming and a general increase in brain activity. They are generally considered the founders of modern sleep research.

The discovery of REM sleep was a watershed moment in science

The discovery of REM sleep was indeed a watershed moment in science. The phenomenon was first observed by graduate student Eugene Aserinsky in 1951, when he noticed his son's eyes moving rapidly under closed eyelids while he slept. Aserinsky and his PhD advisor, Nathaniel Kleitman, went on to demonstrate that this "rapid-eye movement" was correlated with dreaming and a general increase in brain activity.

Before this breakthrough, it was assumed that sleep was a passive state; that absent stimulation, the brain simply switched off at night. After Aserinsky and Kleitman's discovery, scientists saw that the sleeping brain actually cycled between two distinct electrical and biochemical states—one of deep, slow-wave sleep, and the other of REM sleep, also known as "active" or "paradoxical" sleep.

The discovery of REM sleep changed the way we view our dreams and ourselves. It shifted scientists' focus from the dreaming person to the dreaming brain, and inspired new models in which dreams were said to reflect random neural fireworks rather than the hidden intentions of unconscious conflict or the escapades of disembodied souls.

The discovery of REM sleep also launched a new branch of medicine, leading to the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders that afflict tens of millions of people. It also led to a better understanding of the biological functions of sleep, with research suggesting that REM sleep may serve to facilitate learning and memory consolidation.

The importance of Aserinsky and Kleitman's discovery cannot be overstated. As Bert States, an emeritus professor of dramatic arts at the University of California, put it: "The discovery of REM sleep was just about as significant to the study of cognition as the invention of the telescope was to the study of the stars."

REM sleep is also known as 'active sleep' or 'paradoxical sleep'

The discovery of REM sleep is attributed to the work of graduate student Eugene Aserinsky and his PhD advisor Nathaniel Kleitman at the University of Chicago in 1953. Aserinsky's discovery of REM sleep was the result of hours spent studying the eyelids of sleeping subjects, including his 8-year-old son.

REM sleep, or rapid-eye movement sleep, is characterised by rapid eye movements, low-voltage, high-frequency brain activity, and muscle atonia. It is also known as active sleep or paradoxical sleep because the brain is active in a way that resembles wakefulness, yet the body is in a state of muscle atonia or paralysis.

The discovery of REM sleep was a breakthrough in sleep science, demonstrating that sleep is not a passive state but an active one in which the brain cycles between two distinct electrical and biochemical states. This discovery changed the way we think about sleep and dreaming, paving the way for the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders and inspiring new models and theories in sleep research.

REM sleep is associated with dreaming

In 1953, Eugene Aserinsky, a graduate student at the University of Chicago, discovered REM sleep. Aserinsky noticed rapid eye movements in his eight-year-old son, Armond, who was a frequent subject in his early sleep studies. Aserinsky and his PhD adviser, Nathaniel Kleitman, went on to demonstrate that this "rapid-eye movement" was correlated with dreaming and a general increase in brain activity.

The discovery of REM sleep changed the way we view our dreams and ourselves. It shifted scientists’ focus from the dreaming person to the dreaming brain, and inspired new models in which the chimerical dramas of the night were said to reflect random neural fireworks rather than the hidden intentions of unconscious conflict or the escapades of disembodied souls.

The discovery of REM sleep led to the development of a new branch of medicine

The discovery of REM sleep was made in 1953 by graduate student Eugene Aserinsky, who was studying at the University of Chicago. Aserinsky noticed rapid eye movements in his sleeping son, Armond, and subsequently discovered that this phenomenon was correlated with dreaming and increased brain activity. Aserinsky and his PhD advisor, Nathaniel Kleitman, are considered the founders of modern sleep research.

Before the discovery of REM sleep, it was assumed that sleep was a passive state in which the brain was inactive. However, the discovery of REM sleep showed that the sleeping brain cycles between two distinct electrical and biochemical states. One of these states is characterised by deep, slow-wave sleep, now known as non-REM sleep. The other state is REM sleep, which is sometimes called 'active' or 'paradoxical' sleep. The discovery of REM sleep revealed that the brain is highly active during sleep, with some brain structures consuming oxygen and glucose at rates equal to or higher than when awake.

The discovery of REM sleep led to the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders that afflict tens of millions of people. It also shifted the scientific focus from the dreaming person to the dreaming brain, inspiring new models of dreaming that reflected random neural activity rather than the hidden intentions of unconscious conflict or the escapades of disembodied souls. The discovery of REM sleep also underscored the view that the 'self' is not a fixed state but reflects fluctuating brain chemistry and electrical activity.

REM sleep is linked to memory consolidation

In 1953, Eugene Aserinsky, a graduate student at the University of Chicago, discovered REM sleep. Aserinsky noticed rapid eye movements in his eight-year-old son, Armond, who was a frequent subject in his early sleep studies. Aserinsky and his PhD advisor, Nathaniel Kleitman, demonstrated that this "rapid-eye movement" was correlated with dreaming and a general increase in brain activity.

Today, it is well-established that REM sleep is linked to memory consolidation. Studies in rodents and humans have shown that REM sleep deprivation impairs the formation and expression of spatial and emotional memories. For example, selective silencing of GABA neurons during REM sleep erased subsequent novel object place recognition and impaired fear-conditioned contextual memory. Furthermore, REM sleep appears to selectively prune and maintain new synapses associated with particular types of motor learning.

Despite these findings, the functional role of REM sleep in normal biology remains an open question and one of the more intriguing mysteries in science.

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