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Updated: Jun 4, 2026
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Published on: August 2, 2017
Slow eye movements distribution during nocturnal sleep
Fabio Pizza1, Margherita Fabbri, Elisa Magosso
1Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. fabio.pizza@unibo.it
Summary
Slow eye movements (SEMs) are most prevalent during sleep onset and REM sleep. Their distribution across sleep stages and cycles offers insights into sleepiness and homeostasis.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Science
- Physiology
Background:
- Slow eye movements (SEMs) are a recognized physiological phenomenon during sleep.
- Understanding the distribution of SEMs across different sleep stages is crucial for interpreting their significance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively assess the distribution of slow eye movements (SEMs) throughout nocturnal sleep stages.
- To examine the pattern of SEMs across successive sleep cycles.
Main Methods:
- Nocturnal polysomnography recordings from 10 healthy women were analyzed.
- Sleep stages were scored using standard criteria, and SEMs were automatically detected and quantified.
Main Results:
- SEMs were most abundant in wakefulness after sleep onset (WASO) (61%) and NREM stage 1 (54%), decreasing through REM sleep (43%) to NREM stages 2 (21%), 3 (7%), and 4 (3%).
- SEMs significantly decreased across NREM sleep cycles during NREM stage 2 (38%, 15%, 13% in the first three cycles).
Conclusions:
- SEMs are characteristic of sleep onset and are also present in REM sleep.
- The decline of SEMs during NREM stage 2 across sleep cycles suggests a link to the homeostatic regulation of slow-wave sleep.
- SEMs may serve as a biomarker for sleepiness and sleep homeostasis.
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