Neural circuits in the mammalian central nervous system, at local and systems levels, undergo changes of state behaviorally reflected as wake and sleep. Wakefulness may be further sub-divided by level of arousal and/or attention, and sleep into rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep.
Our lab uses a combination of electrophysiological and molecular techniques to examine functions sub-served by these states at the cellular and circuit levels. Further, our studies characterize mechanisms responsible for pathologies associated with disruption of sleep/wake states: for example, post-traumatic stress disorder, neurodegeneration, failed recovery from traumatic brain injury, and drug addiction.