LAUSR

Sleep and circadian rhythms influence synaptic plasticity and behavior dependent upon synaptic plasticity. Precisely how brain states and biological clocks work together to encode, refine, and recombine synaptic circuitry is unknown. I discuss a working model of how brain states and biological clocks work together to produce adaptive changes in brain circuitry. According to the State-Clock Model (SCM), biological clocks produce cyclic changes in the brain that facilitate an initial encoding of experience during the active (waking) phase and the consolidation of experience during the inactive (sleep) phase. The SCM further allows for the division of cellular resources to waking processes and sleep processes so that each are optimally performed. The SCM is contrasted with current theories of sleep function and future tests of the model are discussed.