The electroencephalographic fingerprint of sleep is genetically determined: a twin study.
Humans have an individual profile of the electroencephalographic power spectra at the 8 to 16 Hz frequency during non-rapid eye movement sleep that is stable over time and resistant to experimental perturbations. We tested the hypothesis that this electroencephalographic "fingerprint" is genetically determined, by recording 40 monozygotic and dizygotic twins during baseline and recovery sleep after prolonged wakefulness. We show a largely greater similarity within monozygotic than dizygotic pairs, resulting in a heritability estimate of 96%, not influenced by sleep need and intensity. If replicated, these results will establish the electroencephalographic profile during sleep as one of the most heritable traits of humans.
De Gennaro
Luigi
L
Department of Psychology, University of Rome "Sapienza", Italy. luigi.degennaro@uniroma1.it
Marzano
Cristina
C
Fratello
Fabiana
F
Moroni
Fabio
F
Pellicciari
Maria Concetta
MC
Ferlazzo
Fabio
F
Costa
Stefania
S
Couyoumdjian
Alessandro
A
Curcio
Giuseppe
G
Sforza
Emilia
E
Malafosse
Alain
A
Finelli
Luca A
LA
Pasqualetti
Patrizio
P
Ferrara
Michele
M
Bertini
Mario
M
Rossini
Paolo Maria
PM
D000328:Adult; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017286:Polysomnography; D012890:Sleep / Q000235:genetics*; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic / Q000502:physiology; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic / Q000502:physiology; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult