Role of sleep in creativity and problem solving
| Project/Area Number |
19K16892
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Review Section |
Basic Section 51020:Cognitive and brain science-related
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| Research Institution | University of Toyama |
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Principal Investigator |
Abdou Kareem 富山大学, 学術研究部医学系, 助教 (00833609)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2021)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000)
Fiscal Year 2020: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000)
Fiscal Year 2019: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000)
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| Keywords | Inference / Sleep / Creativity / Co-replay |
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| Outline of Research at the Start |
The reactivation of memory traces during sleep can inspire creativity. Creativity and problem solving are necessary for better quality of life. However, it is unknown how the brain creates new ideas or solve problems during sleep. We hypothesize that while we sleep, our subconscious minds continue to work on problems our conscious minds have failed to solve. We will use transitive inference paradigm, combined with live Ca2+ imaging and optogenetic manipulation of neuronal ensembles. This study will open new horizon in the physiological role of sleep in creativity and problem solving.
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
We developed a transitive inference paradigm in mice that assesses the ability to infer new information that was not learned before, based on previous knowledge of overlapping memories. Sleep deprivation (SD) blocked the inference.
We manipulated the activity of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM)sleep. Optogenetic inhibition of the ACC during wakefulness did not affect inference evolution, as mice achieved high correct performance during inference tests. Conversely, mice that received optogenetic inhibition of the ACC during either NREM or REM sleep failed to infer correctly. Artificial activation of the medial entorhinal cortex neuronal terminals in ACC during REM, but not NREM, sleep resulted in correct inferential behavior.
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
Our study demonstrate a novel mechanism for creating novel ideas during sleep, which may open new horizon in the sleep research.
Our findings may help in the development of novel approaches to boost cognitive performance of normal and diseased subjects.
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Report
(4 results)
Research Products
(3 results)
