PSYC3396 · Psychology

Sleep and Circadian Rhythms

Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences

Sleep is a fascinating behavioral state, highly conserved through evolution and serving myriad biological functions. Although sleep is characterized by unconsciousness and increased sensory threshold, sleep actively engages neuronal circuitry and neural networks throughout the entire brain. This course will cultivate your understanding of sleep as an essential and active brain process. We will explore the mechanisms by which sleep is initiated and maintained, how sleep is measured and studied, how circadian rhythms guide systems like the endocrine and immune, dreaming, memory consolidation, and sleep in the context of psychiatric disorders. Through a combination of lectures, readings, primary research article discussions, and writing assignments, students will expand their critical thinking and scientific communication skills while better understanding one of our most complex and mysterious biological processes.