(Formerly IFCN-3)

[BRS Roster]

The Biological Rhythms and Sleep  [BRS] Study Section reviews applications in a number of areas of integrative, regulatory and behavioral neuroscience across the life span relating primarily to sleep, biological rhythms, and certain homeostatic processes. BRS primarily considers research with non-human animals [vertebrates and invertebrates], but relevant work with humans is also included. Areas of interest include behavioral states, such as wakefulness, sleep, hibernation and variations in arousal level; biological rhythms, including temporal cycles such as ultradian, circadian, infradian and circannual rhythms; and regulatory mechanisms underlying homeostasis, including thermoregulation and other functions of the autonomic nervous system. Applications on the relationship of drug administration, use, and withdrawal on homeostasis are reviewed here. Levels of analysis include genetic/molecular studies, cellular and circuit studies, neurobehavioral and neuropharmacological investigations, and behavioral studies of the whole organism. Emphasis is on integrative studies of mechanisms, functions, or neurobehavioral manifestations in whole organisms, but may include studies of other preparations [slices, explants, cell cultures, single cells, etc.].

Specific areas covered by BRS:

• Circadian rhythms, primarily studies of daily rhythms in activity or sleep-wakefulness; pacemaker mechanisms and properties; neuroanatomical pathways and mechanisms of entrainment and phase shifts; pacemaker output pathways, mechanisms and consequences; feedback effects; pharmacologic, physiologic, and endocrine interactions; pathophysiology and treatment of circadian disorders; circadian variation in drug efficacy and toxicity; and development and manifestation of circadian processes over the life span. Also included are applied studies of shift work, light-induced phase shifts, and other disturbances or manipulations of circadian rhythmicity; mechanisms and functions of pulsatile neurosecretion of hormones [e.g., melatonin] involved in circadian rhythms; identification of neural pulse generators
  
  
• Seasonal and circannual rhythms, including hibernation, reproductive rhythms, etc.
  
  
• Basic integrative mechanisms of sleep generation and maintenance. Neuroanatomical and organismal studies of the neural processes which generate sleep; development and manifestation of these processes over the life span; animal models; sleep deprivation; interaction of sleep and circadian rhythmicity; interaction of the endocrine and/or immune systems and sleep.
  
  
• Neural mechanisms underlying arousal level, attention, and wakefulness
  
  
• Oscillatory mechanisms; cellular and circuit analysis of oscillatory systems, such as thalamocortical rhythmicity
  
  
• Mechanisms underlying homeostasis, including thermoregulation and other functions of the autonomic nervous and immune systems

BRS has the following shared interests within the IFCN IRG:

• Studies of neuroendocrinological basis of circadian and circannual rhythms in behavior, as well as studies of neuroimmunological factors in sleep regulation, should be reviewed in BRS. Studies of homeostatic temperature regulation also should be reviewed in BRS, whereas studies of neural mechanisms of fever production, such as in infection, are reviewed in NNB.
  
   
• Rhythmicity in the sensitivity of somatosensory and chemical sensory systems may be assigned to SCS.  When the focus is on general processes underlying rhythmicity then the application could be assigned to BRS.  
  
  
• Studies of the effect of sleep and/or sleep deprivation on neurobiological events related to learning and memory are reviewed in LAM.

BRS has the following shared interests outside the IFCN IRG:

• With the Cell Biology [CB[ IRG: Studies focused on the effects of light at the level of the retina could be reviewed within Biology and Diseases of the Posterior Eye [BDPE] study section in the CB IRG.  Studies focused on the effects of light at the level of circadian rhythms could be reviewed within BRS.
  
  
• With the Biobehavioral and Behavioral Processes [BBBP] IRG: Studies of neural mechanisms underlying arousal level, attention, and wakefulness may be assigned to BRS, whereas behavioral studies may be assigned to the BBBP IRG.
  
  
• With the Endocrinology, Metabolism, Nutrition and Reproductive Sciences [EMNR] IRG: The EMNR IRG has shared interests with BRS in the broad area of biorhythms from pulsatile secretion to circadian and circannual rhythms. Applications focused on hormonal modulation of pulsatile secretion [e.g., LH surge] or role of pulsatile secretion in reproductive cyclicity would most likely be reviewed in the EMNR IRG. Applications focused on clock genes, SCN, or melatonin could be reviewed in BRS.
  
  
• With the Respiratory Sciences [RES] IRG: Basic neural mechanisms of sleep and circadian rhythms are most appropriate for the BRS, but studies concerning the neurobiological impact of sleep on breathing could be reviewed by the RES IRG. Studies of neural and humoral control of respiration are reviewed in the RES IRG. 
  
  
• With the Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neuroscience [MDCN] IRG: The MDCN IRG may be more appropriate for studies of signal transduction and related processes that occur within the context of a cell, with particular emphasis on cell electrophysiology, molecular biophysics, and neurochemical pathways. BRS may be more appropriate for studies in the context of integrated circuits, systems, and behavior. 
  
  
• With the Brain Disorders and Clinical Neuroscience [BDCN] IRG:  Studies dealing with basic homeostatic control of sleep and circadian or biological systems and other integrative functions of the autonomic nervous system should be reviewed in BRS.  Studies dealing with clinical or patient-oriented studies of sleep disorders and treatment, where the focus is on the disorder and not neural processes, should be reviewed by the BDCN IRG.