Session 8 Sleep physiology Flashcards
What are the 3 distinct states of brain activity?
wakefulness
non-REM sleep, including slow wave sleep
REM sleep
characteristics of non-REM sleep?
EEG (electroencephalography)- would show low frequency, high amplitude
synchronised
slow rolling eye movements
motor system capable
4 stages: 1 and 2= shallow, most of night, 2- spindle and K complex
3 and 4= slow wave
frequency decrease and amplitude increase with depth
EMG would show a moderate level of muscle tone
EOG would show that eyes not moving
characteristics of REM sleep?
high frequency, low amplitude EEG
muscle paralysis, excluding resp., so may wake and be unable to move for a few s, as low skeletal muscle tone- EMG, important so that we don’t act out our dreams
EOG: flicking eye mments, sudden jerking
muscle twitches
desynchronised firing of individual cells
ill defined depth
more common in last part of night
define insomnia
inability to sleep
define parasomnia
abnormal movements or behaviour in sleep e.g. sleep walking
how can sleep pattern be displayed
using a hypnogram
what does a hypnogram show?
Sleep follows a cycle of about 90mins. Early cycles comprise deep non-REM sleep, followed by short periods of REM. Later cycles have more lighter (Stage 2) NREM sleep and more REM sleep. We normally enter sleep through slow wave sleep (non-REM) and often leave it through REM. We may wake between cycles but don’t remember it unless we wake for >20secs
5 main classes of sleep disorders?
difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS)
disorders of excessive sleepiness
parasomnias
circadian rhythm disturbances
sleep related factors in systemic disease
examples of disorders in initiating and maintaining sleep?
insomnia- acute and chronic depression poor sleep hygiene drug induced fatal familial insomnia paradoxical insomnia= people believe they're not sleeping well but tests show that they are
disorders of excessive sleepiness?
Primary: narcolepsy- suddenly falling asleep at inappropriate times long sleepers short sleepers cerebral injury e.g. stroke, trauma idiopathic hypersomnolence
Primary= neurological problem
Secondary- sleeping broken up by multiple arousals: obstructive sleep apnoea, central sleep apnoea, limb movement disorders- restless legs, periodic limb movement
examples of circadian rhythm disorders?
jet lag delayed sleep phase syndrome advanced sleep phase syndrome long sleep non-entrained circadian rhythm
DSPS is common in young people and ASPS in older people (sleep early, wake early). Most people’s body clocks are entrained to 24 hours, those blind from birth free-run, their day is about 24.5 hours long
what is assessed in sleep?
duration
quality
architecture- use a hypnogram
assoc. phenomena
how can sleep duration be assessed?
diary- form/questionnaire
actigraphy- monitors movement, usually at wrist, something they can wear on wrist like a wristwatch and it may tell the time
polysomnography- assesses lots of functions
characteristics of sleep diary?
records time to bed, how many times awoken, wake time, out of bed time
moderately objective
but people often underestimate how much they sleep
can be useful as a therapeutic tool
what does polysomnography measure?
electrophysiology- EEG, EMG, ECG, EOG
movement
respiratory- Chest wall movement, airflow, airway pressures, oximetry, CPAP pressures
CVS: HR, HR variability and BP
what is cataplexy?
bilateral, sudden-onset loss of muscle tone with preserved consciousness, may happen with emotional extremes e.g. very happy, angry, coincidence
partial or complete muscle wkness
knees, and face/neck most commonly affected, eye and resp function not affected
full attack takes several s to develop
attacks last from several s to rarely several min
how is wakefulness assessed?
questionnaires
multiple sleep latency
multiple wakefulness
vigilance testing
