# Characterizing evolutionarily conserved mechanisms underlying sleep, clocks, and memory

> **NIH NIH R35** · WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $382,500

## Abstract

Sleep disturbance and sleep disorders affect millions of Americans and are commonly found with other existing medical
conditions including cardiovascular disease, chronic pain, diabetes, and neurological disorders. To better understand
the comorbidities of sleep disturbance and their negative outcomes, we need to first understand basic sleep function.
Current biomedical research has not been able to adequately explain sleep function, and the subject remains
controversial. Adaptive processes, such as synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory, are sensitive to sleep loss, which
may provide important clues for identifying the physiological function of sleep. Cellular and molecular processes that
are critical for sleep function within nervous tissue also may not be restricted to neurons, but may include glial cells,
which are known to regulate metabolism, sleep, and cognitive function. Changes in neuronal-glial interactions,
particularly around synapses related to activity- and energy-dependent demands during wakefulness, are therefore key
sites to investigate the functional aspects of sleep. Here, we propose studies in phylogenetically diverse species that
integrate the circadian rhythm of rest-activity cycles with changes in sleep need. We also provide novel avenues for
tackling testable questions related to evolutionarily conserved cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying activity-
dependent changes in synaptic activity that are sensitive to sleep and are critical for cognitive function.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9994989
- **Project number:** 5R35GM133440-02
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** JASON ROBERT GERSTNER
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $382,500
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-13 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9994989

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9994989, Characterizing evolutionarily conserved mechanisms underlying sleep, clocks, and memory (5R35GM133440-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9994989. Licensed CC0.

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