Nov. 14, 2012 Neuroscientists studying the link between poor
sleep and schizophrenia have found that irregular sleep patterns
and desynchronised brain activity during sleep could trigger
some of the disease's symptoms. The findings, published in the
journal Neuron, suggest that these prolonged disturbances might
be a cause and not just a consequence of the disorder's
debilitating effects. The possible link between poor sleep and
schizophrenia prompted the research team, led by scientists from
the University of Bristol, the Lilly Centre for Cognitive
Neuroscience and funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC),
to explore the impact of irregular sleep patterns on the brain
by recording electrical brain activity in multiple brain regions
during sleep. For many people, sleep deprivation can affect
mood, concentration and stress levels. In extreme cases,
prolonged sleep deprivation can induce hallucinations, memory
loss and confusion all of which are also symptoms associated
with schizophrenia. Dr Ullrich Bartsc