User:Mtportman/Unihemispheric slow-wave sleep

Wikipedia Project Proposal: Unihemispheric slow-wave sleep

This proposal is presented by Dan Polvino, Cole Hawkinson and Mark Portman.

General Definition
Unihemispheric slow-wave sleep (USWS) is the process in which one half of an animal's brain produces an awake electroencephalogram (EEG) in one hemisphere of the brain while producing a sleeping EEG in the other. It has evolved in numerous species of marine mammals as well as birds.

Species Exhibiting USWS
A number of species exhibit this behavior either entirely or partially. It has been noted in many marine mammals, birds and possibly reptiles. Some of the species being researched that exhibit this behavior include:
 * Northern fur seal
 * Differential exhibition of USWS
 * Cetaceans
 * Amazonian dolphin
 * Bottlenose dolphin
 * Porpoise
 * White whale
 * Birds
 * Common swift
 * White-crowned sparrow
 * Domestic chick
 * Mallard ducks

Physiology

 * Unilateral eye closure opposite to hemisphere exhibiting sleeping EEG
 * Open eye directed towards suspected attack of predator
 * Role of Acetylcholine
 * Temperature regulation during periods of USWS
 * include cooling of the central nervous systems

Benefits

 * Adaptation to high-risk predation
 * Survival of the fittest adaptation
 * Can be regulated based on surroundings
 * Auditory vigilance
 * Surfacing for air while sleeping in marine mammals
 * Ability to rest during long flights

Anatomical Variations

 * Size of corpus collasum
 * Crossing of nerves at optic chiasm
 * Circle of Willis

Plan of Research
Our group will be meeting throughout the semester in order to organize material found during independent research as well as compile new information. This will be collaboratively added to the Wikipedia page.