Neurobiology of Sleep-Wakefulness Cycle 2(2): 56-57, 2002
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© 2002 NSWC

Letter to the Editor

CORRELATION BETWEEN SWS DURATION AND INTENSITY EYE MOVEMENTS IN SLEEP CYCLES AT THE DEPRESSION PATIENTS

P. A. Indursky

Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Moscow

Recieved 22 May 2002.

 
  Summary | Discussion | References | Tables |

Summary

The positive correlation between slow wave sleep (SWS) duration and eye movements intensity in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is present in the depressed patients. It is suggested an opportunity to normalize sleep through regulation of sleep structure.

Key Words: Slow-wave sleep, Rapid eye movements sleep, Search activity concept.

 
  Summary | Discussion | References | Tables |

Discussion

According to the concept of search activity (Rotenberg 2001), the REM sleep carries out function of such activity in case of temporary failure of search at awakening, compensates it and guarantees renewal of search activity in the subsequent wakefulness. The important condition for this purpose in case of the depression patients can be the factor of functional sufficiency of the REM sleep.

In our research, alongside with definition of correlation of subjective estimations of sleep and objective sleep parameters (Rotenberg et al. 2000) at healthy (K) and patients by depression (D), we estimated also correlation between objective sleep parameters. The research was realized by two groups: 10 healthy patients, average age 43,3±10,0 (20 night) and 30 patients by depression average age 51,5±13,6 (73 night). The researches have shown, that in group of the patients by depression, as against healthy, is present authentic positive correlations between duration of a phase of slow - wave sleep (SWS) in sleep cycles and parameter of intensity of eye movements (EM) in consecutive cycles of REM sleep (Table). The estimation of reliability of correlations was carried out according to Fisher's transformation. In whole such correlation is positively caused by changes directed to sleep normalization at the depression patients. With decrease of a saturation SWS in sleep structure, the level of such correlations grows, and this level objectively decreases at augmentation of a saturation SWS at the depression patients. In turn, the sleep normalization at the depression patients (no more, than in 20 % of cases) occurs to increase of eye movements intensity in consecutive cycles of REM sleep, as it was observed at the healthy (Indursky and Rotenberg 1998).

Thus, the received correlation of duration of a slow - wave sleep and intensity of eye movements in REM sleep assumes an opportunity of influence on sleep at the depression patients with the purposes of normalization. It is represented expedient to carry out sleep normalization by a regulation of sleep structure of the depression patients by means of stimulation during SWS and - or on delta - waves.

 
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References

Indursky, P., Rotenberg, V. S. The change of mood during sleep and REM sleep variables. Int. J. of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, 1998, 2-1: 47-51.

Rotenberg, V. S. Search activity concept: Relationship between behavior, health and brain functions. In: (http://www.machanaim.co.il/surround/rvadim/sac.html), 2001.

Rotenberg, V. S., Indursky, P., Kayumov, L., Sirota, P., Melamed, Y. The relationship between subjective sleep estimation and objective sleep variables in depressed patients. Int. J. Psychophysiology, 2000, 37(3): 291- 297.

 
  Summary | Discussion | References | Tables |

Tables

  EM1 EM2 EM3 EM4
D D D D
SWS%   0.30   0.30   0.42   0.32
SWS1           0.25    
SWS2               0.36
SWS3       0.30   0.31   0.37
SWS4   0.38       0.35 -0.61 0.34

Correspondence: Indursky P. A., Dr.,
1/2 Spartakovskaia pl., Moscow, 107082, Russia

E-mail: indvei@hotmail.com