A role for the cortex in sleep–wake regulation

Cortical and subcortical circuitry are thought to play distinct roles in the generation of sleep oscillations and global state control, respectively. Here we silenced a subset of neocortical layer 5 pyramidal and archicortical dentate gyrus granule cells in male mice by ablating SNAP25. This markedly increased wakefulness and reduced rebound of electroencephalographic slow-wave activity after sleep deprivation, suggesting a role for the cortex in both vigilance state control and sleep homeostasis. The conventional view is that the cortex generates brain oscillations, while subcortical structures control global sleep–wake switching. This study shows that the cortex plays an important role in both global state control and sleep homeostasis.