Relationship between circadian rhythm and brain cognitive functions

Although the intricate web of human sleep remains an area with many unanswered questions, one fundamental truth emerges: our capacity to form and retain memories is inextricably tied to our sleep. Delving into this connection, Shiyang Xu and colleagues researched the “Relationship between circadian rhythm and brain cognitive functions,” This article emphasizes the pivotal role our body's internal clock plays in cognitive processes.

Newborns, in their initial phase of life, exhibit irregular sleep patterns. This inconsistency arises from an intense metabolic demand and limited nutritional storage capabilities. Infants constantly oscillate between states of feeding and sleeping (Poe et al., 10). As we evolve and mature, our ability to retain nutrition improves, and we start reaping the benefits of circadian regulation. Establishing such rhythms and prolonged sleep durations paves the way for enhanced cerebral activities. This transformation and its impact on long-term memory (LTM) formation using Drosophila were explored in the article "Developmental emergence of sleep rhythms enables long-term memory capabilities in Drosophila" by Poe and colleagues. Their observations indicated that while short-term memories can form without the influence of sleep rhythms or circadian control, LTMs significantly rely on them. Furthermore, the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation became evident as it hampered LTM formation.

Building on these insights, the study by Cavanaugh et al. accentuates the understanding that the facilitation of LTM becomes feasible only once circadian regulation is in place. The research by Xu, Akioma, and Yuan complements this perspective by shedding light on the intricate dance between our body's internal clock and cognitive functionalities. The process of memory consolidation is multifaceted. One of its facets involves the transformation of newly formed memory representations into stable LTMs, a process deeply embedded within the cerebral framework.

While the research unravels many facets of sleep and memory consolidation, areas remain uncharted. For instance, a more in-depth exploration of sleep's impact on various sensory modalities or its influence on intricate stimuli could offer richer insights. Additionally, delving deeper into sleep deprivation's repercussions on LTM can present a clearer picture. As our understanding of LTM consolidation processes grows, we inch closer to deciphering sleep's enigmatic role in human cognition.

Resources:

• Amy R. Poe, Lucy Zhu, Patrick D. McClanahan, Milan Szuperak, Ron C. Anafi, Andreas S. Thum, Daniel J. Cavanaugh, Matthew S. Kayser. "Developmental emergence of sleep rhythms enables long-term memory capabilities in Drosophila".

• Shiyang Xu, Miriam Akioma, and Zhen Yuan. "Relationship between circadian rhythm and brain cognitive functions".