REM sleep quality is associated with balanced tonic activity of the locus coeruleus during wakefulness
Prof. Gilles Vandewalle
His research focuses on the brain mechanisms involved in the regulation of human sleep and wakefulness and its importance for cognition and brain health. Gilles Vandewalle is an expert in TMS, EEG, PET scan, MRI and UHF‐MRI. Genetics and aging are two major tools to address inter‐individual differences in sleep‐wake regulation and in seeking the keys for successful ageing.
Human REM sleep and locus coeruleus activity
Nicknamed the “blue dot” because of its iron-rich pigmentation, the locus coeruleus is the brain’s only source of noradrenaline, a neuromodulator essential for wakefulness and vigilance. Its activity must decrease to allow sleep onset, and fluctuate throughout the night to regulate the different phases of sleep. Using high-resolution 7 Tesla MRI imaging, the researchers observed that “the balance of locus coeruleus activity during wakefulness is essential for the proper expression of REM sleep”, explains Nasrin Mortazavi.
These results suggest that, as in rodents, the locus coeruleus plays an active role in regulating human sleep. “A better understanding of this mechanism could pave the way for targeted interventions to improve sleep quality, particularly in patients suffering from neurodegenerative disorders”, emphasises Gilles Vandewalle. As this structure is one of the first to be affected by diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, “sleep disorders could thus be an early sign of the disease”, adds Nasrin Mortazavi.
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Recent publications from ESRS members
- Morssinkhof MWL, Larsen SV, Ozenne B, Nasser A, Hvitved S, van der Werf YD, Penninx BWJH, Broekman BFP, Frokjaer VG.(2025) Cortisol dynamics and sleep quality: The role of sex and oral contraceptive use. Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Dekkers MPJ, Horvath CM, Woerz VS, Bernasconi C, Duss SB, Schmidt MH, Manconi M, Brill AK, Bassetti CLA. (2025) Performance of questionnaires to predict sleep-disordered breathing in acute stroke patients. J Sleep Res.
- Andersen ML, Alvarenga TA, Fonseca LH, Tufik S.(2025) Interactions between co-sleeping, sleep quality, and relationship health: The benefits and challenges of shared sleep environments. J Health Psychol.
- Poletti V, Hackethal S, Castelnovo A, Riccardi S, Volpato E, Manconi M. (2025) Sleep-related breathing disorders during pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Med Rev.