Why does staying awake inevitably make us sleepy? Researchers at the University of Basel, Switzerland, have identified neuronal populations in the brains of mice that become activated during prolonged wakefulness and are crucial for sleep drive. Their findings provide new insights into how the brain generates the need for sleep.
Experts at the University of Basel have identified in mice those nerve cells that generate sleep pressure. If they shut down the cells, the rodents remained awake for an astonishing period of time.