What is sleep exactly? Global and local modulations of sleep oscillations all around the clock.
Thomas Andrillon, Delphine Oudiette
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews December 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105465 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Attention Behaviour Cognition Consciousness Local sleep Metabolism Nrem Neuromodulation Neurophysiology Plasticity |
| Citations | 44 |
| Key findings | The notion of local sleep provides a unified account for dreaming in REM and NREM sleep, NREM and REM parasomnias, intrasleep responsiveness, and inattention and mind wandering in wakefulness. |
Abstract
Wakefulness, non-rapid eye-movement (NREM) and rapid eye-movement (REM) sleep differ from each other along three dimensions: behavioral, phenomenological, physiological. Although these dimensions often fluctuate in step, they can also dissociate. The current paradigm that views sleep as made of global NREM and REM states fail to account for these dissociations. This conundrum can be dissolved by stressing the existence and significance of the local regulation of sleep. We will review the evidence in animals and humans, healthy and pathological brains, showing different forms of local sleep and the consequences on behavior, cognition, and subjective experience. Altogether, we argue that the notion of local sleep provides a unified account for a host of phenomena: dreaming in REM and NREM sleep, NREM and REM parasomnias, intrasleep responsiveness, inattention and mind wandering in wakefulness. Yet, the physiological origins of local sleep or its putative functions remain unclear. Exploring further local sleep could provide a unique and novel perspective on how and why we sleep.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The cognitive neuroscience of lucid dreaming | 2019 | Review | |
| Sleep and dreaming are for important matters | 2013 | Review | |
| Nightmare Disorder and Isolated Sleep Paralysis | 2020 | Review | |
| My Dream, My Rules: Can Lucid Dreaming Treat Nightmares? | 2019 | Review | |
| Dream Recall: State or Trait Variable? Part I: Model, Theories, Methodology and Trait Factors | 1996 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- Behavioral, experiential, and physiological signatures of mind blanking. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences December 30, 2025
- The impact of homeostatic inhibitory plasticity in a generative biophysical model bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) January 13, 2026
- Do individuals with disorders of consciousness dream and mind wander? Implications for improving diagnosis and understanding patient wellbeing. Neuroscience of Consciousness 2025
- Dream tyranny: Hyperonirism diagnostic criteria. L'Encephale June 1, 2026
- Dream-like mental states can occur during wakefulness. Cell Reports April 7, 2026
and 2 more in the library
Cites 34
- Breakdown of Cortical Effective Connectivity During Sleep Science September 29, 2005
- Dreaming as mind wandering: evidence from functional neuroimaging and first-person content reports. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2013
- Assessing sleep consciousness within subjects using a serial awakening paradigm Frontiers in Psychology 2013
- Why Does Consciousness Fade in Early Sleep? Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences May 1, 2008
- Real-time dialogue between experimenters and dreamers during REM sleep. Current Biology April 12, 2021
and 29 more in the library