Neural Oscillations During Sleep: Mathematical Modeling and Data Analysis

When we sleep, the brain produces rhythmic patterns of activity that help us learn, remember, and maintain healthy function. Some of these patterns travel across the brain like waves. Scientists believe these traveling waves are important for how the brain processes information, but we still do not fully understand how they form or what they do.

This project brings together researchers in Brazil and Canada to study these neural oscillations. Our team will use computer models and mathematical techniques to simulate how brain areas interact to generate wave-like patterns. We will also analyze empirical recordings of brain activity to detect when and where these oscillations occur. By combining these two approaches, the project aims to uncover the basic principles that shape neural oscillations during sleep.

Understanding these patterns is significant because disruptions in sleep rhythms are linked to conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and mood disorders. Insights from this research may help guide future studies on brain health and inspire new ways to understand — or potentially correct — abnormal brain activity.

Faculty Supervisor:

Roberto Budzinski

Student:

Partner:

Federal University of Parana

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Artificial Intelligence; Life Sciences (not health); Health and Related Sciences and Technology

University:

University of Lethbridge

Program: