title: A postsleep decline in auditory evoked potential amplitude reflects sleep homeostasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has been hypothesized that slow wave activity, a well established measure of sleep homeostasis that increases after waking and decreases after sleep, may reflect changes in cortical synaptic strength. If so, the amplitude of sensory evoked responses should also vary as a function of time awake and asleep in a way that reflects sleep homeostasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using 256-channel, high-density electroencephalography (EEG) in 12 subjects, auditory evoked potentials (AEP) and spontaneous waking data were collected during wakefulness before and after sleep.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The amplitudes of the N1 and P2 waves of the AEP were reduced after a night of sleep. In addition, the decline in N1 amplitude correlated with low-frequency EEG power during non-rapid eye movement sleep and spontaneous wakefulness, both homeostatically regulated measures of sleep need.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The decline in AEP amplitude after a night of sleep may reflect a homeostatic reduction in synaptic strength.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings provide further evidence for a connection between synaptic plasticity and sleep homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53719, USA.
authors.forename: Brad K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Hulse
authors.forename: Eric C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Landsness
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarasso
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferrarelli
authors.forename: Jeffrey J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Guokas
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wanger
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tononi
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011571:Psychoacoustics; D011930:Reaction Time; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult