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EEG Mu Rhythm in Typical and Atypical Development
Published on: April 9, 2014
EEG arousal norms by age.
Michael H Bonnet1, Donna L Arand
1Dayton Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Wright State University, Dayton, OH 45428, USA. bonnetmichael@yahoo.com
Summary
Brief arousals, important for sleep, increase with age. New age-based norms for arousal index can help identify abnormal sleep patterns in adults.
Area of Science:
- Sleep Medicine
- Neurophysiology
Background:
- Brief arousals are systematically scored during sleep.
- Their importance in sleep is known, but age-specific norms are lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish comprehensive age norms for brief arousals during sleep.
- To investigate the relationship between arousal index and age in healthy adults.
Main Methods:
- Seventy-six healthy adults (18-70 years) underwent polysomnography.
- Sleep and arousal data were scored and summarized by age decade.
Main Results:
- Arousal index significantly increased with age.
- Younger age groups (18-30) had lower arousal indices compared to older groups.
- Arousal index correlated negatively with total sleep time and positively with stage 1 sleep and wakefulness.
Conclusions:
- Brief arousals are integral to sleep and increase with age.
- Age-related norms for arousal index are established.
- These norms may aid in identifying pathological arousal patterns.
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