Lauren Whitehurst
Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky, US
“Physiological correlates of "good sleep": implications for cognition, health, and aging”
Abstract: What makes sleep “good”? Few wake intrusions? Falling asleep once your head hits the pillow? Waking up refreshed and ready for your day? All the above? Science is still grappling with the answers to this question, yet we do know that a period of sleep vs. wake helps us think, learn, and remember better. Additionally, specific neural and autonomic changes during sleep support human cognition. In this talk, I will discuss findings from our lab that implicate the function of sleep for cognition. I will detail our work using pharmacological and electrical manipulations of sleep and will discuss the benefits/costs for next/day cognitive function as well as insights into sleep’s role for healthy cognitive aging.