Avian sleep

Yeganegi, Hamed (2025): Avian sleep: examining age-related variations and local sleep in zebra finches. Dissertation, LMU München: Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences (GSN)

Abstract

Sleep is not a uniform brain state but undergoes developmental changes and local variations. This thesis explores both aspects in zebra finches using multi-channel EEG and LFP recordings. First, we show that sleep patterns change with age: juveniles spend more time in intermediate sleep (IS), especially males engaged in vocal learning, while adults exhibit more SWS and REM sleep. Functional connectivity matures over time, with adults showing fewer but stronger EEG networks. Second, we demonstrate that sleep stages are not synchronized across the avian pallium. Unlike prior studies linking local sleep to prior wake activity, our findings reveal spontaneous regional differences, with deeper brain areas playing a key role in synchrony. These results highlight sleep’s complexity in birds and challenge the traditional view of sleep as a global state.

• Item Type: Theses (Dissertation, LMU Munich)
• Subjects: 500 Natural sciences and mathematics; 500 Natural sciences and mathematics > 570 Life sciences
• Faculties: Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences (GSN)
• Language: English
• Date of oral examination: 6. March 2025
• 1. Referee: Ondracek, Janie
• Signature of the printed copy: 0001/UMC 31106