Slow-wave sleep

About: Slow-wave sleep is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 6543 publications have been published within this topic receiving 320663 citations. The topic is also known as: deep sleep.

Correlations Between Night Sleep Duration and Seizure Frequency in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Abstract: Correlations between occurrence of complex partial seizures and altered sleep duration were analyzed in a small but strongly homogeneous population of temporal lobe epilepsy patients. Sleep deprivation and oversleep were determined individually; 682 epileptic seizures occurring on 4,995 days were related to occasional alterations of night sleep duration. The seizure-inducing effect of an actual relative sleep deprivation was 67-100% in four cases and 49-64% in four cases. Oversleep had no consistent seizure-provoking effect. Relative sleep deprivation may have a seizure-provoking effect, especially in temporal lobe epilepsy. This information may be used to instruct epileptic patients concerning sleep hygiene which might improve the efficacy of antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment, even if no change is made in medication.

Effect of the antidepressant Org 3770 on human sleep.

Abstract: The effect of a single dose (30 mg) of Org 3770 (metirzapine) on human sleep was assessed in a double blind, placebo controlled, cross over study in 6 young, healthy male volunteers. The sleep stage classification was based on visual scoring of 24 h electroencephalographic recordings according to the criteria of Rechtschaffen and Kales. Org 3770 30 mg p.o. given 2 h before bedtime had a sleep promoting action in all subjects, resulting in a shortened time to the onset of sleep. Bedtime waking and dozing (Stage 1) were reduced in favour of deep, slow wave sleep (Stages 3 and 4). Org 3770 increased the latency of REM sleep with respect to Stage 2 sleep in all subjects. It also caused a minor reduction in waking periods during REM sleep and a lower frequency of awakenings after periods of movement. No effect of Org 3770 was observed in reaction and vigilance tests on the post treatment day. The observed effects of Org 3770 on normal human sleep suggest that it might ameliorate the sleep disturbances encountered in endogenous depression, which are characterized by a reduction in slow wave sleep, an increase in nighttime awakenings and shortening of REM sleep latency.

The role of the substantia nigra pars compacta in regulating sleep patterns in rats.

Abstract: Background As of late, dopaminergic neurotransmission has been recognized to be involved in the generation of sleep disturbances. Increasing evidence shows that sleep disturbances in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients are mostly related to the disease itself, rather than being a secondary phenomenon. Evidence contained in the literature lends support to the hypothesis that the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway is closely involved in the regulation of sleep patterns. Methodology/Principal Findings To test this hypothesis we examined the electrophysiological activity along the sleep-wake cycle of rats submitted to a surgically induced lesion of the SNpc by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). We demonstrated that a 50% lesion of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) suffices to produce disruptions of several parameters in the sleep-wake pattern of rats. A robust and constant decrease in the latency to the onset of slow wave sleep (SWS) was detected throughout the five days of recording in both light [F(22.16) = 72.46, p<0.0001] and dark [F(22.16) = 75.0, p<0.0001] periods. Also found was a pronounced increase in the percentage of sleep efficiency during the first four days of recording [F(21.15) = 21.48, p<0.0001], in comparison to the sham group. Additionally, the reduction in the SNpc dopaminergic neurons provoked an ablation in the percentage of rapid eye movement sleep (REM) during three days of the sleep-wake recording period with a strong correlation (r = 0.91; p<0.0001) between the number of dopaminergic neurons lost and the percentage decrease of REM sleep on the first day of recording. On day 4, the percentage of REM sleep during the light and dark periods was increased, [F(22.16) = 2.46, p<0.0007], a phenomenon consistent with REM rebound. Conclusions/Significance We propose that dopaminergic neurons present in the SNpc possess a fundamental function in the regulation of sleep processes, particularly in promoting REM sleep.