Reyila Simayi

PhD Candidate| @ Brain Sleep Research Laboratory| Neuroscience| Growth mindset

[Reyila Simayi @Rayila6]

Illustration: Andrea Moreno

[Reyila Simayi @Rayila6]

Meaningful space between the TWO

Two hands reach
not quite touching,
not quite apart.
Between them lives a synapse,
a fragile distance where silence becomes signal,
where meaning is not held,
but released.

LOVE IT💜

[Growth Labs @growthhub_]

She literally explained that the discomfort of discipline is nothing compared to the pain of regret.

[Reyila Simayi @Rayila6]

Two papers published at the beginning of the year, feeling grateful. The best gift I could give myself, with support from my supervisor and collaborators. Hoping this momentum continues🥳🥳🥳
@bsrlaboratory

https://t.co/EQlX0luiLQ

[Agingdoc🩺Dr David Barzilai🔔MD PhD MS MBA DipABLM @agingdoc1]

How sleep loss can damage your brain's wiring

"Sleep loss damages the fatty insulation protecting the nerve cells in our brain, according to a paper published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The research also explains why we often feel slow and groggy after a bad night's sleep...."

https://t.co/8CwfT1paDi 👇

"The team studied MRI scans of 185 volunteers who self-reported poor sleep quality, which confirmed previous studies that found a link between inadequate sleep and changes in the structure of white matter (the bundles of nerve fibers that carry impulses between neurons). To find the cause, the researchers ran tests on rats that had their sleep restricted for ten days.

First, they performed electrical tests on the rats' brains and discovered that sleep loss caused nerve signals to take around 33% longer to travel between the two hemispheres. Later analysis of brain tissue found a likely cause. The myelin sheaths were much thinner. These are the fatty layers that wrap around nerve fibers to insulate them and speed up electrical signals.

Cholesterol bottleneck
Analysis of the lipid composition of the brain and the activity of genes that regulate oligodendrocytes revealed that the main issue was cholesterol deficiency. The scientists focused on these cells because they are responsible for creating and maintaining myelin. They found that cholesterol, which is essential for keeping the insulation thick and healthy, was not being properly transported to the myelin sheaths, so they were thinner and less able to do their job.

To test this, the researchers administered a compound called cyclodextrin, which works to flush trapped cholesterol out of cells and back into circulation. This prevented myelin sheaths from thinning any further and eliminated the roughly 33% delay in signal speed. In behavioral tests, the rodents performed just as well as those that were well-rested."

See: Reyila Simayi et al, Sleep loss induces cholesterol-associated myelin dysfunction, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2523438123

[Brain and Sleep Research Laboratory @bsrlaboratory]

🧠💤 New lab paper in @PNASNews
Sleep loss doesn’t just make neurons tired - it slows the communication between them.
We show that chronic sleep loss impairs myelin integrity, slows neural signal conduction, and affects cognition & motor behavior.
👉https://t.co/qzE4cYhtI6

[James Zou @james_y_zou]

Today in @NatureMedicine we report that AI can predict 130 diseases from 1 night of sleep🛌

We trained a foundation model (#SleepFM) on 585K hours of sleep recordings from 65K people—brain, heart, muscle & breathing signals combined.

AI learns the language of sleep🧵

[Nicholas Fabiano, MD @NTFabiano]

Holding hands with a loved one reduces pain via increased brain-to-brain coupling.

[Alex Vacca @itsalexvacca]

BREAKING: MIT just completed the first brain scan study of ChatGPT users & the results are terrifying.

Turns out, AI isn't making us more productive. It's making us cognitively bankrupt.

Here's what 4 months of data revealed:

(hint: we've been measuring productivity all wrong)

[The Nobel Prize @NobelPrize]

"You have to focus on what you can do."

Life advice from 2023 medicine laureate Katalin Karikó who is encouraging us all to focus on things that are within our control and pay less attention to what we can't control.

For more life advice and to hear her life story, watch our full interview with her: https://t.co/8OGNkvhUCh

[Nature Neuroscience @NatureNeuro]

White matter (WM) #astrocytes differ significantly from grey matter (GM) astrocytes, with WM
astrocytes in the forebrain exhibiting unique proliferation capacity

https://t.co/1pdyhqHfuF

[nature @Nature]

A two-and-a-half-year-old girl shows no signs of a rare genetic disorder, after becoming the first person to be treated for the motor-neuron condition while in the womb.

https://t.co/PpL5NeM6Go

[Reyila Simayi @Rayila6]

I am so happy to be part of this research project👏. Thank you for everything!☺️

[Brain and Sleep Research Laboratory @bsrlaboratory]

Rocking during sleep reduces motor deficits and beta-amyloid levels in an Alzheimer’s mouse model: iScience https://t.co/3hxumQXPj1

[nature @Nature]

“There's broad acceptance that AI is going to reshape the research field”

A survey of nearly 5000 researchers suggests that using AI for preparing manuscripts, writing grant applications, and peer review will become widely accepted within two years

https://t.co/zTHzlusYWO

[Reyila Simayi @Rayila6]

After fixing my front tooth, I felt more restful sleep for the first time, even when going to bed after midnight and waking up early.
Dental health care may equal improved sleep quality!

Care for yourself, and you might achieve more than you thought possible!
#HealthyLiving

[nature @Nature]

In a few decades, gene-editing technologies could reduce the likelihood of common human diseases. Societies must use this time to prepare for their arrival https://t.co/ckPgUh0IE3

[Reyila Simayi @Rayila6]

Pure intentions, leads to great future. Pure intentions, when combined with consistent effort and a clear vision, often pave the way for a fulfilling and meaningful future. Staying true to your values and acting with sincerity can attract positive outcomes and opportunities.

[Science Magazine @ScienceMagazine]

A new study finds ants best humans at tests of collective intelligence.

Learn more: https://t.co/MHbFGxo1ET @NewsfromScience

[Dr Emma Rebecca Wallace @err_wallace]

Doing a PhD is hard, but never underestimate the value of doing work that you are passionate about, to feel seen and heard, and like you belong somewhere.

The past two years have changed my life immeasurably, and I will always be so grateful. Keep going! 🙂

[Reyila Simayi @Rayila6]

@DrVidyanaOM Thanks!