The effect of CNS activation versus EEG arousal during sleep on heart rate response and daytime tests.
OBJECTIVE
To induce a heart rate change in normal subjects using auditory stimulation without inducing EEG arousals and to assess the effects on daytime functioning and compare results to auditory stimulation leading to short EEG arousals.


METHODS
Six normal young men initially randomized into two groups (A and B) underwent 4 nights of nocturnal polysomnography (normal sleep on night 1, auditory stimulation without EEG arousal or normal sleep on nights 2 and 3 using Latin square design, and auditory stimulation with EEG arousal on night 4). MSLT and PVT were performed during days following nights 2-4.


RESULTS
MSLT and PVT results showed significant differences after EEG arousal compared to stimulation without EEG arousal and to normal sleep; there were no significant differences after normal sleep compared to stimulation without EEG arousal. RR interval showed significant differences during undisturbed sleep compared to stimulation without EEG arousal and to stimulation with EEG arousal; RR interval without EEG arousal also differed significantly from RR interval with EEG arousal.


CONCLUSIONS
Activation of the brain-stem can lead to autonomic nervous system (ANS) response without objective consequences the next day.


CONCLUSIONS
ANS responses induced by auditory stimulation during sleep without EEG arousal do not have the same effects on daytime sleepiness and performance as sleep fragmentation associated with EEG arousals.
Guilleminault
Christian
C
Stanford Sleep Disorders Center, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road Suite 3301, Stanford, CA 94305-5730, USA. cguil@stanford.edu
Abad
Vivien C
VC
Philip
Pierre
P
Stoohs
Riccardo
R
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012154:Reticular Formation / Q000502:physiology; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*