Rapid eye movement sleep, motoneurone inhibition, and apneic spells in preterm infants.
Not principally different from the results obtained in more mature subjects, monosynaptic reflex excitability of spinal motoneurones in preterm infants decreases during active sleep. However, in preterm infants the electric reflex response is not abolished, and is not even continuously depressed during the entire active sleep period. Spinal motoneurone inhibition is demonstrable only during certain periods of active sleep, and it is during this state of decreased spinal motoneurone excitability when apneic spells predominantly occur.
D001049:Apnea; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D012023:Reflex, Monosynaptic; D012894:Sleep Stages; D012895:Sleep, REM