Spring 2027

The Basic Science of Sleep and Consciousness

This course covers the basic science of sleep and consciousness, including brain structures, sleep disorders like narcolepsy, and clinical diagnosis at the WI Sleep Clinic.

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Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 No instructors listed

Summary

What you’ll be able to do

  • Explain definitions used for sleep and wake

  • Detail the brain structures and systems involved in the control of sleep and wake

  • Explain recent evidence linking sleep, memory, and synaptic plasticity

  • Identify animal models used to study sleep

  • Explain molecular and genetic approaches to the study of sleep

  • Explain how sleep affects cardiovascular, metabolic, and cognitive functions

  • Explain the importance of sleep for the individual and society, including negative consequences of sleep deprivation and some sleep disorders

  • Detail the brain structures crucial to support consciousness

  • Describe how dreaming research can advance consciousness research

  • Explain theoretical approaches to study consciousness and how they can lead to new ways of assessing consciousness in healthy and patient populations

  • Present recent studies on sleep and consciousness research (selected for daily assigned readings) at journal clubs

  • Describe how to design a sleep/dreaming/consciousness experiment and recognize possible confounding factors

Source: UW Guide

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Prerequisites

Course map

Graduate/professional standing

  • Graduate/professional standing
PSYCHIAT 902

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  • Graduate/professional standing

Professors

Spring 2027

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Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

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Student experience

the class

Sleep occupies a third of our life, and is found in all animal species. Loss of sleep has both acute and long-term negative consequences on the brain and the body. Still, why we sleep remains unclear, and hypotheses on the role of sleep for synaptic homeostasis, learning and memory, cardiovascular and metabolic health, are being tested in humans and animal models. Learn how the sleeping brain can either support vivid conscious experiences (dreaming) or not (deep slow wave sleep); brain structures involved in wake and sleep; how sleep pressure increases during waking; effects of sleep deprivation; causes of narcolepsy and other sleep disorders. How to study sleep in genetic models like flies; electron microscopy to assess effects of sleep loss on synapses; enhancement of sleep slow waves in humans; development and testing of theoretical models; methods to assess levels of consciousness in humans. During time at the WI Sleep Clinic, learn how sleep disorders are diagnosed and treated.

difficulty & workload

No workload feedback recorded.

Topics

  • Role of sleep in synaptic homeostasis, learning, memory, and health
  • Causes of narcolepsy and other sleep disorders
  • Methods for studying sleep using genetic models, electron microscopy, and human slow-wave enhancement
  • Theoretical models and methods for assessing consciousness levels

Skills

  • Detailing brain structures and systems controlling sleep and wake
  • Explaining molecular and genetic approaches to studying sleep
  • Applying theoretical approaches to assess consciousness in healthy and patient populations
  • Designing experiments for sleep, dreaming, or consciousness research while identifying confounders

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Sources & history

UW–Madison

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Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-14

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Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
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Full model traces

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Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "9d54066533d92ec75ae928491ebf72cefa77bfdee71bfd96526f1b58b85dffbc",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}