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Breathing pattern and eye movement density during REM sleep in humans
G A Gould1, M Gugger, J Molloy
1Rayne Laboratory, Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
The American Review of Respiratory Disease
|October 1, 1988
Summary
During Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, frequent eye movements are linked to altered breathing patterns. This study in healthy men found REM sleep eye movements correlate with faster, shallower breaths and reduced ventilation.
Area of Science:
- * Sleep Medicine
- * Respiratory Physiology
- * Neuroscience
Background:
- * Changes in eye movement density during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep are known to affect ventilation and ventilatory response in animal models.
- * Previous research in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) suggests a link between frequent eye movements during REM sleep and hypoxemia.
- * The specific relationship between eye movements and respiratory patterns in healthy individuals during sleep requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To investigate the association between eye movements and ventilation patterns during sleep in healthy adult males.
- * To determine if eye movements during REM sleep influence breathing frequency, tidal volume, and minute ventilation.
Main Methods:
- * Ten healthy men participated in the study.
- * Expired ventilation was measured using a pneumotachograph and a valved face mask with a CO2 leak detector.
- * Ventilation and breathing patterns were analyzed across different sleep stages, including wakefulness, Stage 2, Stage 3/4, and REM sleep, with specific focus on epochs with and without eye movements during REM sleep.
Main Results:
- * Overall ventilation was reduced during all sleep stages compared to wakefulness, with no significant differences between sleep stages.
- * During REM sleep, the presence of eye movements was associated with a significant increase in breathing frequency (p = 0.01).
- * Eye movements during REM sleep were also linked to a significant reduction in tidal volume (p < 0.01) and minute ventilation (p = 0.01), indicating a pattern of rapid, shallow breathing.
Conclusions:
- * In healthy men, eye movements during REM sleep are associated with a distinct ventilatory pattern characterized by increased breathing rate and decreased tidal volume.
- * This pattern during REM sleep eye movements may contribute to altered gas exchange during this sleep phase.
- * Further research is warranted to understand the clinical implications of these findings, particularly in patient populations with respiratory disorders.