The Functions of Sleep

The Functions of Sleep is the result of a symposium held in New Mexico in 1977. The objective of the said symposium is to clarify and ultimately answer questions regarding the functions of sleep. Many perspectives are presented in the attempt to answer the main question of the function of sleep, including the examination of the developmental, neurophysiological, metabolic, behavioral, and clinical correlates of normal and disturbed sleep.
The first two chapters focus on the previous studies done regarding the functions of sleep, specifically the methodological issues and clinical implications of the theories. This book also emphasizes the study of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and its different aspects such as reticular formation activity, motivational function, regulation, and growth hormone secretion. Other topics covered in this book include the interrelations of human sleep in terms of neuroendocrine and neuropharmacologic; ontogenetic and clinical studies; sleep pathologies; and brain state and memory.
Sleep can be studied in a wide range of scientific fields. Students and researchers in the fields of biology, psychology, neurology, psychobiology, and medicine will find this book very useful.

Contributors

Preface

Acknowledgments

The Function of Sleep: Methodological Issues

Theories of Sleep Functions and Some Clinical Implications

Reticular Formation Activity and REM Sleep

Sleep and Epilepsy: An Experimental Study

Protein Molecules and the Regulation of REM Sleep: Possible Implications for Function

Growth Hormone Secretion Related to the Sleep and Waking Rhythm

Neuropharmacologic and Neuroendocrine Interrelations of Human Sleep

Ontogenetic and Clinical Studies of Sleep State Organization and Dissociation

Ontogeny of Sleep: Implications for Function

A Motivational Function of REM Sleep

What Can Insomniacs Teach Us about the Functions of Sleep?

The Relevance of Sleep Pathologies to the Function of Sleep

Sleepy Brain State, and Memory