Functional connectivity drifts during sleep as a marker of fluctuations in the level of consciousness

Summary

Consciousness is thought to fluctuate with the integration of brain areas across the wake-sleep cycle, but recent evidence suggests consciousness may not be uniformly present or absent within a given brain state, as conscious reports can occur during Non-REM sleep. This study tested whether functional connectivity between neurons varies within brain states in a way that reflects changing levels of consciousness. In rats, directed functional connectivity between neurons was examined across the wake-sleep cycle at a scale of a few seconds. The analysis aimed to determine whether Non-REM sleep contains epochs with inter-areal integration comparable to wakefulness and REM sleep, and vice versa. The findings could reveal circuit-level connectivity patterns consistent with alternating levels of consciousness both between and within brain states.

Study at a glance

Abstract

During the wake-sleep cycle, consciousness waxes and wanes, and this is thought to be reflected in varying levels of integration between brain areas. Recent studies challenged the notion that consciousness is homogeneously present or absent in a brain state, as exemplified by conscious reports found in otherwise unconscious Non-REM sleep. We tested if functional connectivity between neurons varies within brain states in a way compatible with a fluctuating level of consciousness. We examined directed functional connectivity between neurons across the wake-sleep cycle in rats, at a scale of a few seconds. We analyzed patterns of functional connectivity to determine if Non-REM sleep contains epochs in which inter-areal integration is comparable to that observed in wakefulness and REM sleep, and vice versa. This study will potentially reveal if circuit-level connectivity patterns are observed during sleep stages, in line with the presence of an alternation between levels of consciousness not only between but also within brain states.