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Inter-REM Sleep Intervals Distribution in Healthy Young Subjects
Maria Jose Esposito Ms.Sc., Vincenzo Natale Ph.D, Miranda Occhionero M.D, Ph.D, PierCarla Cicogna Ph.D
Neurophysiological research in animals has recently underlined the importance of
distinguishing sequential from single REM episodes, suggesting a possible different
functional role of these sub-species of REM sleep. In human beings it is not still clear how
much time has to elapse between two sections of REM sleep before they are recognised
as two separate REM episodes, and hence sequential rather than single REM episodes. To
this end we analysed 76 PSG recordings from 29 healthy young subjects. On the basis of
the distribution of inter-REM intervals in our sample, we empirically set a combining rule
of 20 minutes to define a REM sleep cycle, and to distinguish single vs. sequential REM
episodes. Out of 276 REM sleep episodes detected, 71.38% were defined as single REM
and 28.62 % as sequential REM episodes. Sequential, like single, REM episodes were not
prevalent in any particular sleep cycle or part of the night, even though the percentage of
sequential REM episodes seems to be related to circadian REM sleep pressure. The authors
point up the importance of investigating experimentally the functional significance of
these two sub-species of REM sleep in humans. (Sleep and Hypnosis 2003;5(1):1-6)
| Keywords: NREM-REM cycle, human sleep, cycle structure, REM episode, inter-REM intervals, sequential REM episodes, single REM episodes, combining rule |
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