This project explores how the restorative power of sleep can be harnessed to strengthen brain function, improve memory and cognition, and combat neurodegenerative diseases. In neurodegenerative disease, toxic proteins accumulate and disrupt the ability of neural networks to compute and support normal behavior. Sleep plays a vital role in both flushing toxic proteins out of the brain and keeping neural networks stable and efficient. We will develop and test new, non-invasive methods to boost sleep’s beneficial effects on brain function and neural computation. By augmenting sleep and reinforcing neural network computation, we aim to enhance cognition and mitigate neurodegenerative disease symptoms in a mouse model. This research could pave the way for innovative and well-tolerated treatments that protect memory and behavior by enhancing the brain’s own resilience.
