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Intense rapid eye movements during active sleep: an index of neurobehavioral instability
Insights
Intense Rapid Eye Movement (REM) bursts during Active Sleep, known as REM Storms, were studied in infants. Higher REM Storm rates correlated with less stable sleep-wake patterns, suggesting a link to overall sleep regulation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Sleep Science
Background:
- Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep is crucial for neural development.
- REM Storms, intense REM bursts during Active Sleep, are poorly understood.
- Understanding REM Storms may offer insights into sleep-wake state regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate REM Storms as an indicator of neural mechanisms controlling sleep and waking states in infants.
- To explore the relationship between REM Storm incidence and sleep-wake state stability.
Main Methods:
- Observed 20 full-term infants at home for 7 hours at 2, 3, 4, and 5 weeks old.
- Recorded sleep-wake states and maternal behaviors every 10 seconds.
- Rated infant REM intensity during Active Sleep, identifying REM Storms.
Main Results:
- REM Storm rates were negatively correlated with sleep-wake state stability.
- This negative correlation was observed both when the infant was alone and with its mother.
- Infant REM Storm incidence reflects overall sleep-wake regulation.
Conclusions:
- REM Storms are a measurable phenomenon linked to sleep-wake regulation in developing infants.
- The study highlights a connection between intense REM activity and the stability of infant sleep patterns.
- Findings suggest REM Storms may serve as a biomarker for neural control of sleep-wake cycles.
Abstract:
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Storms, intense REM bursts during Active Sleep (or REM Sleep), were investigated as an expression of the neural mechanisms involved in overall control of the sleep and waking states. Twenty normal full-term infants were observed in their homes for a 7-hr period when they were 2, 3, 4, and 5 weeks old. Sleep and waking states, and co-occurring behaviors of the mother, were recorded at 10-sec intervals throughout the observation day. During each 10-sec epoch of Active Sleep a rating was made of the infant's rapid eye movements, as follows: No REM, Light REMs, Moderate REMs, or intense REMs (REM Storms). REM Storm rates were related to a measure of stability in the distribution of the sleep and wake states over weeks, derived separately for time the infant was alone and for time the infant was with its mother. REM Storm rates were negatively correlated with state stability in each of these contexts. The results demonstrated a commonality between the incidence of REM Storms and overall sleep-wake state regulation.