Sleep must serve an essential, universal function, one that offsets the risk of being
disconnected from the environment. The synaptic homeostasis hypothesis (SHY) is an …

In a recent article I reviewed an influential theory of sleep function, the “synaptic
homeostasis hypothesis (SHY.)” According to SHY, sleep renormalizes synapses that are …

Sleep is hypothesized to play an integral role in brain plasticity. This has traditionally been
investigated using behavioral assays. In the last 10–15 years, studies combining sleep …

Sleep is universal, tightly regulated, and many cognitive functions are impaired if we do not
sleep. But why? Why do our brains need to disconnect from the environment for hours every …

Highlights•In mouse cortex sleep is associated with broad but selective synaptic
downscaling.•Acute sleep loss negatively impacts synapses in CA1 more than in …

Converging lines of evidence strongly support a role for sleep in brain plasticity. An elegant
idea that may explain how sleep accomplishes this role is the “synaptic homeostasis …

This paper reviews a novel hypothesis about the functions of slow wave sleep—the synaptic
homeostasis hypothesis. According to the hypothesis, plastic processes occurring during …

Sleep is universal, tightly regulated, and its loss impairs cognition. But why does the brain
need to disconnect from the environment for hours every day? The synaptic homeostasis …

We thank Dr. Heller for discussing in a recent editorial in SLEEP1 the implications of the
study by Dr. Aton and colleagues2 for the synaptic homeostasis hypothesis3 (SHY). Dr …

Sleep requires that we disconnect from the environment, losing the ability to promptly
respond to stimuli. There must be at least one essential function that justifies why we take …