title: Specific EEG sleep pattern in the prefrontal cortex in primary insomnia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the specific prefrontal activity in comparison to those in the other main cortical areas in primary insomnia patients and in good sleepers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen primary insomnia patients and 11 good sleepers were included in the analysis. Participants completed one night of polysomnography in the sleep lab. Power spectra were calculated during the NREM (Non-rapid eyes movements) and the REM (Rapid eyes movements) sleep periods at prefrontal, occipital, temporal and central electrode positions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the NREM sleep, the power spectra did not differ between groups in the prefrontal cortex; while primary insomnia patients exhibited a higher beta power spectrum and a lower delta power spectrum compared to good sleepers in other areas. During the REM sleep, the beta1 power spectrum was lower in the prefrontal cortex in primary insomnia patients compared to good sleepers; while no significant difference between groups was obtained for the other areas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study shows a specific prefrontal sleep pattern during the whole sleep period. In addition, we suggest that primary insomnia patients displayed a dysfunction in the reactivation of the limbic system during the REM sleep and we give additional arguments in favor of a sleep-protection mechanism displayed by primary insomnia patients.
authors.affiliation: Normandie Univ, Caen, 14032, France; UNICAEN, COMETE, Caen, 14032, France; INSERM, U 1075 COMETE, Caen, 14032, France.
authors.forename: Joy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perrier
authors.affiliation: INSERM, U1077, Caen, 14074, France; UNICAEN, UMR-S1077, Caen, 14074, France; Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, UMR-S1077, Caen, 14074, France.
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clochon
authors.affiliation: CHU de Caen, Department of Clinical Physiology, Caen, 14033, France; INSERM, U1077, Caen, 14074, France; UNICAEN, UMR-S1077, Caen, 14074, France; Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, UMR-S1077, Caen, 14074, France.
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bertran
authors.affiliation: CHU de Caen, Department of Clinical Physiology, Caen, 14033, France.
authors.forename: Colette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Couque
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7800, 5020 Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bulla
authors.affiliation: Normandie Univ, Caen, 14032, France; UNICAEN, COMETE, Caen, 14032, France; INSERM, U 1075 COMETE, Caen, 14032, France; CHU de Caen, Department of Clinical Physiology, Caen, 14033, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Denise
authors.affiliation: Normandie Univ, Caen, 14032, France; UNICAEN, COMETE, Caen, 14032, France; INSERM, U 1075 COMETE, Caen, 14032, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Laure
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bocca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012895:Sleep, REM