Project description
Explaining mental fatigue
Mental fatigue can arise from various factors, such as prolonged wakefulness or demanding cognitive tasks. The ERC-funded SleepingAwake project aims to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying fatigue. Its core hypothesis suggests that localised intrusions of sleep within the awake brain contribute to fatigue. In instances of sleep deprivation, characteristic high-amplitude slow waves (SWs) resembling those seen during sleep can appear in awake individuals. SleepingAwake seeks to characterise the physiological manifestations of wake SWs, explore their association with metabolic changes in the brain, assess whether wake SWs could forecast positive outcomes and investigate the potential for modulating wake SWs to enhance cognitive performance. The project aims to clarify the occurrence of localised sleep, predict its adaptive functions and explore methods for modulating its frequency.
Objective
What happens in our brains when we get tired? Mental fatigue can occur for diverse reasons, through extended periods of wakefulness or following intense cognitive efforts. In other words, fatigue can be both time and use-dependent. My core hypothesis is that both processes are underpinned by local intrusions of sleep in the awake brain.
Sleep and wakefulness are not mutually exclusive states. When animals are sleep deprived, high-amplitude slow waves (SWs), a hallmark of sleep, can be locally observed in awake individuals. These wake SWs have been linked to impaired cognitive performance. I have further shown that these wake SWs can be observed without sleep deprivation when participants perform demanding tasks. These wake SWs predict objective (errors) and subjective (e.g. mind wandering) markers of attentional lapses. However, the underlying mechanisms driving SWs remain unclear; why do they occur? How well do they predict the cognitive consequences associated with fatigue? And can they be externally modulated?
To answer these questions, I will first describe the physiological signatures of wake SWs, from single-neuron to whole-brain activity. Second, I will seek to explain the occurrence of wake SWs by testing their association with the metabolic changes within the brain. Third, whereas wake SWs have been so far associated with adverse behaviors (lapses of attention), I will examine whether wake SWs could also predict positive outcomes, such as creative insights. Finally, I will investigate the possibility of modulating wake SWs and improving cognitive performance.
Through this project, I will build a novel neurophysiological account of fatigue from the ground up by describing what local sleep is, explaining why it occurs, predicting its adaptative purposes, and modulating how frequently it occurs. This ambitious research program will generate critical novel insights into the neural mechanisms underlying the everyday phenomenon of fatigue.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2023-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
75654 PARIS
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.