Sleep and dreaming: induction and mediation of REM sleep by cholinergic mechanisms

Curr Opin Neurobiol. 1992 Dec;2(6):759-63. doi: 10.1016/0959-4388(92)90130-d.

Abstract

The most important recent work on the neurobiology of sleep has focused on the precise cellular and biochemical mechanisms of rapid eye movement sleep mediation. Direct and indirect evidence implicates acetylcholine-containing neurons in the peribrachial pons as critical in the triggering and maintenance of rapid eye movement sleep. Other new studies provide support for the hypothesis that the cholinergic generator system is gated during waking by serotonergic and noradrenergic influences. A growing consensus regarding the basic neurobiology has stimulated new thinking about the brain basis of consciousness during waking and dreaming.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholine / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Cats
  • Cholinergic Fibers / physiology
  • Dreams / physiology*
  • Efferent Pathways / physiology
  • Electroencephalography
  • Humans
  • Interneurons / physiology
  • Models, Neurological
  • Occipital Lobe / physiology
  • Pons / physiology
  • Raphe Nuclei / physiology
  • Rats
  • Reticular Formation / physiology
  • Serotonin / physiology
  • Sleep, REM / physiology*
  • Thalamus / physiology
  • Wakefulness / physiology
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / physiology

Substances

  • Serotonin
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
  • Acetylcholine