Topic: slow wave oscillations

Sleep is a recurring state of inactivity in which the brain undergoes a period of rest and restoration; its disturbances can severely affect health. Sleep and wake cycles can be mimicked in vitro: cortical neurons plated on Micro-Electrode Arrays (MEAs) show spontaneously synchronized, low-frequency firing patterns resembling the slow wave oscillations typical of NREM sleep. With specific compounds (e.g., Carbachol, orexin), network activity can be manipulated to switch to a wake state. To reduce the costs and ethical issues related to in vitro studies and to be more sustainable in research, i