The role of sleep disturbance and inflammation for spatial memory

Abstract

Spatial memory is a brain function involved in multiple behaviors such as planning a route or recalling an object's location. The formation of spatial memory relies on the homeostasis of various biological systems, including healthy sleep and a well-functioning immune system. While sleep is thought to promote the stabilization and storage of spatial memories, considerable evidence shows that the immune system modulates neuronal processes underlying spatial memory such as hippocampal neuroplasticity, long-term potentiation, and neurogenesis. Conversely, when sleep is disturbed and/or states of heightened immune activation occur, hippocampal regulatory pathways are altered, which – on a behavioral level - may result in spatial memory impairments. In this Brief Review , I summarize how sleep and the immune system contribute to spatial memory processes. In addition, I present emerging evidence suggesting that sleep disturbance and inflammation might jointly impair spatial memory. Finally, potentials of integrated strategies that target sleep disturbance and inflammation to possibly mitigate risk for spatial memory impairment are discussed.

Reported sleep duration reveals segmentation of the adult life-course into three phases

“…Self-reported sleep durations may differ from actual sleep patterns and the concordance may be modulated by age, sex 44 , and sleep disorders 45 . Since participant demographics and sleep disorders are also associated with spatial ability 19,46 , it will be important to validate our results with objective sleep parameters recorded using polysomnography. We controlled for the effect of age, gender, level of education, commute duration, home environment and country on sleep duration.…”

Activation of dopamine D2 receptors attenuates neuroinflammation and ameliorates the memory impairment induced by rapid eye movement sleep deprivation in a murine model

“…In this context, neuroinflammation could be a significant factor contributing to the detrimental effects of SD on cognition and mood alterations. RSD-induced learning and memory impairments are often accompanied by an inflammatory response ( Piber, 2021 ), mainly by increases in brain proinflammatory cytokines and microglial activation, where deficits in spatial memory are manifested ( Wadhwa et al, 2017 ). Further, both acute and chronic SD cause alterations in the immune response characterized by the presence of increased levels of proinflammatory mediators, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-17A, and the C-reactive protein (CRP) ( Hurtado-Alvarado et al, 2016 ), and other inflammatory molecules such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), endothelin-1 (ET-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) ( Zager et al, 2007 ; Ibrahim et al, 2011 ; Ruiz et al, 2012 ; Porkka-Heiskanen et al, 2013 ; He et al, 2014 ; Hurtado-Alvarado et al, 2016 ).…”

Dynamics of the Prefrontal Cortex in the Interplay of Orienteering Experience and Cognitive Performance: An fNIRS Investigation

“…Mental rotation involves an individual's ability to perform representational and rotational operations in the brain, whereas spatial memory encompasses the perception, storage, and reproduction of spatial information, reflecting differences in the spatial cognitive processing components of the two tasks. In essence, spatial memory is pertinent to daily life and learning, easier to consolidate and deepen, while mental Orienteering athletes, frequently navigating complex environments 44 , may derive their superior performance in spatial memory tasks from the demands of their sport.…”