title: Sleep misperception, EEG characteristics and autonomic nervous system activity in primary insomnia: a retrospective study on polysomnographic data.
abstract: Misperception of Sleep Onset Latency, often found in Primary Insomnia, has been cited to be influenced by hyperarousal, reflected in EEG- and ECG-related indices. The aim of this retrospective study was to examine the association between Central Nervous System (i.e. EEG) and Autonomic Nervous System activity in the Sleep Onset Period and the first NREM sleep cycle in Primary Insomnia (n=17) and healthy controls (n=11). Furthermore, the study examined the influence of elevated EEG and Autonomic Nervous System activity on Stage2 sleep-protective mechanisms (K-complexes and sleep spindles). Confirming previous findings, the Primary Insomnia-group overestimated Sleep Onset Latency and this overestimation was correlated with elevated EEG activity. A higher amount of beta EEG activity during the Sleep Onset Period was correlated with the appearance of K-complexes immediately followed by a sleep spindle in the Primary Insomnia-group. This can be interpreted as an extra attempt to protect sleep continuity or as a failure of the sleep-protective role of the K-complex by fast EEG frequencies following within one second. The strong association found between K-alpha (K-complex within one second followed by 8-12 Hz EEG activity) in Stage2 sleep and a lower parasympathetic Autonomic Nervous System dominance (less high frequency HR) in Slow-wave sleep, further assumes a state of hyperarousal continuing through sleep in Primary Insomnia.
authors.affiliation: Multidisciplinary Sleep Disorders Centre, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650 Edegem, Belgium. Electronic address: jana.maes@uza.be.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.affiliation: Multidisciplinary Sleep Disorders Centre, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650 Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Verbraecken
authors.affiliation: Multidisciplinary Sleep Disorders Centre, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650 Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Willemen
authors.affiliation: Multidisciplinary Sleep Disorders Centre, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650 Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Volder
authors.affiliation: Multidisciplinary Sleep Disorders Centre, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650 Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Gastel
authors.affiliation: Multidisciplinary Sleep Disorders Centre, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650 Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Michiels
authors.affiliation: Sleep Medicine Centre 'Kempenhaeghe', P.O. Box 61, Sterkselseweg 65, 5590 AB Heeze, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Verbeek
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Psychology,Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vandekerckhove
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Psychology,Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wuyts
authors.affiliation: Mechanical Engineering Department, Biomechanics Section, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 300C, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Haex
authors.affiliation: Mechanical Engineering Department, Biomechanics Section, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 300C, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Willemen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Exadaktylos
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bulckaert
authors.affiliation: Multidisciplinary Sleep Disorders Centre, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650 Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cluydts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D058256:Brain Waves / Q000502:physiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Beta EEG activity; Heart rate variability; Hyperarousal; Insomnia; Power spectrum analyses; Sleep misperception