Giulio Tononi

Neural Basis of Consciousness; Functions of Sleep

Research Strengths: Behavior: Cognition and Emotion, Neural Circuits

Research in my laboratory focuses on two main areas, consciousness and sleep. In the work on consciousness, we have addressed the problem of how the activities of functionally specialized areas of the brain can be integrated to give rise to a unified conscious scene. To this end, we have (1) constructed large-scale computer models based on the anatomy and physiology of the thalamocortical system to demonstrate how the brain solves the so-called binding problem; (2) developed theoretical approaches aimed at defining and measuring the integration of information within the nervous system. This has led to the formulation of a general, information-theoretical definition of complexity, which provides an objective measure of the extent to which biological systems such as the brain are composed of functionally specialized parts that work together in an integrated fashion; (3) pioneered experimental approaches aimed at identifying the neural correlates of conscious experience using imaging techniques such as magnetoencephalography. This work has led to the formulation of a testable proposal - the dynamic core hypothesis - about the neural substrates of consciousness.

In the work on sleep, in collaboration with Dr. Chiara Cirelli, we have used rat, mouse, and fly models to understand the functions of sleep by focusing on the consequences of sleep and sleep deprivation at the cellular and molecular level. We have found striking differences in the expression of certain genes between sleep and waking and identified molecular markers of these behavioral states. Recently, we have demonstrated, based on a variety of behavioral, pharmacological, and molecular criteria, that sleep-like states are present in the fruit fly Drosophila. This finding opens the way to the genetic dissection of sleep using mutant screening and other powerful tools of genetic manipulation available in Drosophila.

Website:

http://tononi.psychiatry.wisc.edu/People/GiulioTononi.html

Selected Publications:

Tononi, G. and C. Cirelli. 2006. Sleep function and synaptic homeostasis. Sleep Med. Rev. 10: 49-62.
Massimini, M., F. Ferrarelli, R. Huber, S.K. Esser, H. Singh, and G. Tononi. 2005. Breakdown of cortical effective connectivity during sleep. Science 309: 2228-2232
Cirelli, C., D. Bushey, S.L. Hill, R. Huber, R. Kreber, B. Ganetzky, G. Tononi. 2005. Reduced sleep in Drosophila mutants. Nature 434: 1087-1092.
Tononi, G. 2004. An Information Integration Theory of Consciousness. BMC Neurosci. 5: 42.
Huber, R., M.F. Ghilardi, M. Massimini M, and G. Tononi. 2004. Local sleep and learning. Nature 430: 78-81.
Shaw, P.J., C. Cirelli, R.J. Greenspan, and G. Tononi. 2000. Correlates of sleep and waking in Drosophila melanogaster. Science 287: 1834-1837. [PDF]
Tononi, G. and G.M. Edelman. 2000. Schizophrenia and the mechanisms of conscious integration. Brain Res. Rev. 31: 391-400.
Tononi, G. and G.M. Edelman. 1998. Consciousness and complexity. Science 282: 1846-1851.


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Giulio Tononi Neural Basis of Consciousness; Functions of Sleep E-mail: gtononi@wisc.edu Research Strengths: Behavior: Cognition and Emotion, Neural Circuits Research in my laboratory focuses on two main areas, consciousness and sleep. In the work on consciousness, we have addressed the problem of how the activities of functionally specialized areas of the brain can be integrated to give rise to a unified conscious scene. To this end, we have (1) constructed large-scale computer models based on the anatomy and physiology of the thalamocortical system to demonstrate how the brain solves the so-called binding problem; (2) developed theoretical approaches aimed at defining and measuring the integration of information within the nervous system. This has led to the formulation of a general, information-theoretical definition of complexity, which provides an objective measure of the extent to which biological systems such as the brain are composed of functionally specialized parts that work together in an integrated fashion; (3) pioneered experimental approaches aimed at identifying the neural correlates of conscious experience using imaging techniques such as magnetoencephalography. This work has led to the formulation of a testable proposal - the dynamic core hypothesis - about the neural substrates of consciousness. In the work on sleep, in collaboration with Dr. Chiara Cirelli, we have used rat, mouse, and fly models to understand the functions of sleep by focusing on the consequences of sleep and sleep deprivation at the cellular and molecular level. We have found striking differences in the expression of certain genes between sleep and waking and identified molecular markers of these behavioral states. Recently, we have demonstrated, based on a variety of behavioral, pharmacological, and molecular criteria, that sleep-like states are present in the fruit fly Drosophila. This finding opens the way to the genetic dissection of sleep using mutant screening and other powerful tools of genetic manipulation available in Drosophila. Website: http://tononi.psychiatry.wisc.edu/People/GiulioTononi.html Selected Publications: Tononi, G. and C. Cirelli. 2006. Sleep function and synaptic homeostasis. Sleep Med. Rev. 10: 49-62. Massimini, M., F. Ferrarelli, R. Huber, S.K. Esser, H. Singh, and G. Tononi. 2005. Breakdown of cortical effective connectivity during sleep. Science 309: 2228-2232 Cirelli, C., D. Bushey, S.L. Hill, R. Huber, R. Kreber, B. Ganetzky, G. Tononi. 2005. Reduced sleep in Drosophila mutants. Nature 434: 1087-1092. Tononi, G. 2004. An Information Integration Theory of Consciousness. BMC Neurosci. 5: 42. Huber, R., M.F. Ghilardi, M. Massimini M, and G. Tononi. 2004. Local sleep and learning. Nature 430: 78-81. Shaw, P.J., C. Cirelli, R.J. Greenspan, and G. Tononi. 2000. Correlates of sleep and waking in Drosophila melanogaster. Science 287: 1834-1837. [PDF] Tononi, G. and G.M. Edelman. 2000. Schizophrenia and the mechanisms of conscious integration. Brain Res. Rev. 31: 391-400. Tononi, G. and G.M. Edelman. 1998. Consciousness and complexity. Science 282: 1846-1851.

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