REM sleep vital for young brains
allen.johns
Sleep’s final stage key to development
A recent study of the role of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in the development of young brains suggests that it makes experiences “stick” in the brain. The discovery was published in Science Advances by Professor of Medicine Marcos Frank and his former graduate student Michelle Dumoulin Bridi.
Frank said their findings emphasize the importance of REM sleep in early life and point to a need for caution in giving young children REM-suppressing medications like antidepressants and stimulants for ADHD.
The idea for Frank’s study came from earlier research that suggested a relationship between sleep and developmental brain … » More …