Seasonal variation in sleep homeostasis in migratory geese: a rebound of NREM sleep following sleep deprivation in summer but not in winter ...

Sleep is a behavioral and physiological state that is thought to serve important functions. Many animals go through phases in the annual cycle where sleep time might be limited, for example, during the migration and breeding phases. This leads to the question whether there are seasonal changes in sl...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: van Hasselt, Sjoerd J., Mekenkamp, Gert-Jan, Komdeur, Jan, Allocca, Giancarlo, Vyssotski, Alexei L., Piersma, Theunis, Rattenborg, Niels C., Meerlo, Peter
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: ETH Zurich 2021
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Online Access:https://dx.doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000465950
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/465950
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Summary:Sleep is a behavioral and physiological state that is thought to serve important functions. Many animals go through phases in the annual cycle where sleep time might be limited, for example, during the migration and breeding phases. This leads to the question whether there are seasonal changes in sleep homeostasis. Using electroencephalogram (EEG) data loggers, we measured sleep in summer and winter in 13 barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) under semi-natural conditions. During both seasons, we examined the homeostatic regulation of sleep by depriving the birds of sleep for 4 and 8 h after sunset. In winter, barnacle geese showed a clear diurnal rhythm in sleep and wakefulness. In summer, this rhythm was less pronounced, with sleep being spread out over the 24-h cycle. On average, the geese slept 1.5 h less per day in summer compared with winter. In both seasons, the amount of NREM sleep was additionally affected by the lunar cycle, with 2 h NREM sleep less during full moon compared to new moon. During summer, ... : Sleep, 44 (4) ...