Sleep is crucial for brain and cardiovascular health. Aging alters sleep patterns, affecting physical and cognitive well-being. Our research, using functional and structural MRI, explores the causal relationship between sleep, body, and brain functions. The scientists investigate how sleep disturbances impact brain fluid dynamics, revealing connections to neurodegenerative disorders. They further examine heart-brain interplay during sleep, assessing hemodynamic changes and potential links to elevated blood pressure. Finally, investigating age-dependent activity in the locus coeruleus during sleep, a key brainstem region, sheds light on physiological regulation and cognition. The project will thus provide insights for healthy aging and potential strategies against neurodegenerative disorders.

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