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Sleep neurobiology: Acoustic Stimulation of slow wave sleep on Motor Learning
Slow oscillations, the hallmark of slow-wave sleep, play a major role in neural plasticity and sleep-dependent memory formation, including learned motor tasks. We are studying the effect of acoustic modulation in slow-wave sleep on motor learning in rats.
Previous studies in humans established that targeting auditory pulses to slow oscillations' upstate constitutes a privileged time window for improvement in memory reactivation and produce behavioral benefit, whereas intervening slow oscillations’ downstate seems to disrupt slow oscillatory patterns and diminish recall performance.
**Our group established an auditory closed-loop protocol for rodents to specifically target slow oscillations' upstate or downstate phases and deliver acoustic stimuli ultimately modulating deep sleep.** In our animal models, sleep is recorded by EEG/EMG while acoustic stimulation plays in a closed-loop. For that, several real-time detection features run alongside a predictive phase-locked algorithm as a function of the endogenous EEG signal, closing the loop for the delivery of precise auditory stimuli.
Previous studies in humans established that targeting auditory pulses to slow oscillations' upstate constitutes a privileged time window for improvement in memory reactivation and produce behavioral benefit, whereas intervening slow oscillations’ downstate seems to disrupt slow oscillatory patterns and diminish recall performance.
**Our group established an auditory closed-loop protocol for rodents to specifically target slow oscillations' upstate or downstate phases and deliver acoustic stimuli ultimately modulating deep sleep.** In our animal models, sleep is recorded by EEG/EMG while acoustic stimulation plays in a closed-loop. For that, several real-time detection features run alongside a predictive phase-locked algorithm as a function of the endogenous EEG signal, closing the loop for the delivery of precise auditory stimuli.
We are searching for highly motivated and ambitious individuals to participate in several stages of an extensive study on the effects of acoustic modulation of slow osculations on motor learning in rodents, as a way to complete a Master’s degree.
**There are multiple major tasks within the project that constitute suitable questions for Master internships:**
**1)** _Performance assessments, quality diagnostics and validation of acoustic stimulation of slow-wave sleep in rodents;_
**2)** _Phase-looked algorithm optimisation for boosting and inhibiting delta activity in rodents;_
**3)** _Effects of boosting and inhibiting delta activity on motor learning in rats;_
**4)** _Development and implementation of a major MATLAB sleep-analysis pipeline for Big Data_;
**5)** _Memory and motor tests of a rat model under acoustic stimulation of slow-wave sleep in the context of Traumatic Brain Injury;_
**6)** _OPEN:_ any interested student who wants to learn and give support to our experiments using cutting-edge techniques in the Animal Sleep Laboratory (closed-loop acoustic stimulation, stereology microscopy, diverse immunohistochemistry and molecular-biology assays, multiple behavioral testing of motor and non-motor scores in rodents, etc.)_
All of these are UNPAID POSITIONS, targeting **students who want to greatly improve their laboratory/animal testing experience, improve their computational skills in the context of Sleep biology and/or develop their masters dissertation.*
We are searching for highly motivated and ambitious individuals to participate in several stages of an extensive study on the effects of acoustic modulation of slow osculations on motor learning in rodents, as a way to complete a Master’s degree.
**There are multiple major tasks within the project that constitute suitable questions for Master internships:**
**1)** _Performance assessments, quality diagnostics and validation of acoustic stimulation of slow-wave sleep in rodents;_
**2)** _Phase-looked algorithm optimisation for boosting and inhibiting delta activity in rodents;_
**3)** _Effects of boosting and inhibiting delta activity on motor learning in rats;_
**4)** _Development and implementation of a major MATLAB sleep-analysis pipeline for Big Data_;
**5)** _Memory and motor tests of a rat model under acoustic stimulation of slow-wave sleep in the context of Traumatic Brain Injury;_
**6)** _OPEN:_ any interested student who wants to learn and give support to our experiments using cutting-edge techniques in the Animal Sleep Laboratory (closed-loop acoustic stimulation, stereology microscopy, diverse immunohistochemistry and molecular-biology assays, multiple behavioral testing of motor and non-motor scores in rodents, etc.)_
All of these are UNPAID POSITIONS, targeting **students who want to greatly improve their laboratory/animal testing experience, improve their computational skills in the context of Sleep biology and/or develop their masters dissertation.*
Please contact **Dr. Daniela Noain** (daniela.noain@usz.ch; http://www.sleep.uzh.ch/en/research-groups/group-baumann.html; http://www.neuroscience.uzh.ch/en/research/sleep_and_sleep_disorders.html#noain) or **Mr. Carlos Goncalves Moreira** (carlos.goncalvesmoreira@usz.ch) sending your CV and motivation letter stating your interested project/s.
In case you have references letters, those will be highly appreciated (please include the name and contact information).
Please contact **Dr. Daniela Noain** (daniela.noain@usz.ch; http://www.sleep.uzh.ch/en/research-groups/group-baumann.html; http://www.neuroscience.uzh.ch/en/research/sleep_and_sleep_disorders.html#noain) or **Mr. Carlos Goncalves Moreira** (carlos.goncalvesmoreira@usz.ch) sending your CV and motivation letter stating your interested project/s. In case you have references letters, those will be highly appreciated (please include the name and contact information).