Sleep is vital for brain function, but how the brain senses the need for sleep—known as "sleep pressure"—is still not fully understood. In our recent studies, we explored the idea that the strength of connections between neurons may play a key role in this process. Combining mathematical modeling with experiments in cultured neurons, we found that stronger synaptic connections promote brain activity patterns associated with deep sleep. We also used a molecular tool to selectively boost synaptic strength in the prefrontal cortex of mice, which led to longer and deeper sleep. In this talk, I will present our latest findings suggesting that synaptic strength may serve as an internal signal for sleep need—and discuss what this means for how the brain regulates rest and recovery.
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