Sleep research
How skin temperature influences our brain states
For the first time, Bernese researchers have demonstrated how temperature stimuli from the skin are processed in the brain. The findings enhance our understanding of sleep-wake regulation and pave the way for new therapeutic approaches, e.g. for narcolepsy.
For the first time, researchers at the University of Bern and Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, have shown that temperature signals from the skin are processed in the brain, influencing REM sleep and sleep-related disorders. These new findings enhance our understanding of brain-body interactions that regulate sleep and provide novel therapeutic strategies for sleep-wake rhythm disorders, such as narcolepsy.