Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
09:37
Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control
Published on: July 5, 2015
Effect of voluntary attention on auditory processing during REM sleep
Madoka Takahara1, Hiroshi Nittono, Tadao Hori
1Department of Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan.
Sleep
|August 10, 2006
Summary
Voluntary attention to external sounds during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep influences brain responses. Event-related potentials (ERPs) showed that attention modulated late positive potentials in REM sleep.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Research
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Understanding cognitive processes during sleep is crucial for sleep science.
- Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is a complex stage associated with dreaming and memory consolidation.
- The capacity for voluntary attention during sleep remains an area of active investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of voluntary attention to external auditory stimuli during REM sleep.
- To measure event-related potentials (ERPs) to assess cognitive processing during sleep.
Main Methods:
- A 2-tone auditory-discrimination task was used with standard and deviant tones.
- Participants were instructed to detect deviant tones during REM sleep (ATTENTIVE condition) or passively receive tones (PASSIVE condition).
- ERPs were recorded during REM sleep and compared between conditions.
Main Results:
- Deviant stimuli elicited P200 and P400 components during tonic REM sleep.
- The P400 component showed larger amplitudes in the ATTENTIVE condition compared to the PASSIVE condition.
- No attentional effects on ERPs were observed during stage 2 sleep.
Conclusions:
- Voluntary attention to external stimuli during REM sleep can modulate late positive potentials.
- Electrophysiological evidence supports the presence of voluntary attention during REM sleep.
- Findings contribute to understanding cognitive function during sleep.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Sleep-Wake Cycles
Sleep is an essential physiological process vital to maintaining overall well-being. The reticular activating system (RAS), a network of neurons in the brainstem, regulates wakefulness and sleep. While it may seem passive, sleep consists of distinct cycles, each with its unique characteristics and functions. Two key sleep phases are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM).
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
01:22Stages of Sleep
Sleep progresses through distinct stages, each characterized by specific brain wave patterns and physiological responses ranging from wakefulness to stages of non-rapid eye movement, known as non-REM, to rapid eye movement, referred to as REM. Understanding these stages helps in recognizing how sleep supports various bodily and cognitive functions.
Before sleep begins, in wakefulness, the brain exhibits primarily beta waves, which are high in frequency and low in amplitude, indicating alertness...
Before sleep begins, in wakefulness, the brain exhibits primarily beta waves, which are high in frequency and low in amplitude, indicating alertness...