Researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine identified a rare population of cortical neurons (Sst-Chodl cells) that can independently initiate deep sleep rhythms, challenging the long-held belief that the cortex is merely a passive follower of subcortical sleep signals. Activating these neurons, which make up only about one percent of cortical inhibitory neurons, was sufficient to put mice to sleep.
Background
Sleep research has traditionally viewed the cerebral cortex as a passive structure reacting to signals from deeper brain regions. This study, published in Nature, provides direct evidence that the cortex can self-initiate sleep rhythms through a specifically identified neuronal population.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Sep 19, 2026 at 01:49 AM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10