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Sympathetic muscle nerve activity during sleep in man
1Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Sahlgrenska Sjukhuset, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Brain : a Journal of Neurology
|June 1, 1991
Summary
Muscle sympathetic activity (MSA) decreases during synchronized sleep but increases during REM sleep. K-complexes during sleep may trigger arousal and sympathetic responses, influencing blood pressure regulation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Physiology
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Muscle sympathetic activity (MSA) plays a crucial role in cardiovascular regulation.
- Understanding how sleep stages affect sympathetic nerve activity is vital for comprehending blood pressure control during sleep.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of different sleep stages on muscle sympathetic activity (MSA) in healthy individuals.
- To explore the relationship between sleep phenomena like K-complexes and REM sleep on sympathetic responses.
Main Methods:
- Recorded peroneal nerve muscle sympathetic activity (MSA) in 14 sleep-deprived healthy subjects.
- Utilized continuous noninvasive finger blood pressure monitoring in 7 subjects.
- Analyzed MSA during wakefulness, stage 2 sleep, stage 3-4 sleep, and REM sleep.
Main Results:
- Total MSA decreased significantly in stage 2 sleep (89%) and further in deep sleep (71%) compared to wakefulness.
- K-complexes during stage 2 sleep were associated with transient increases in MSA, suggesting arousal.
- Total MSA increased during REM sleep (124%), often linked to rapid eye movements.
Conclusions:
- Sleep stage profoundly influences muscle sympathetic activity, with decreased activity during synchronized sleep and increased activity during REM sleep.
- K-complexes may act as triggers for sympathetic arousal, impacting cerebral sympathetic centers.
- Findings align with animal studies and may elucidate blood pressure variations observed during different sleep phases in humans.