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Mapping Slow Waves by EEG Topography and Source Localization: Effects of Sleep Deprivation

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Abstract

Slow waves are a salient feature of the electroencephalogram (EEG) during non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep. The aim of this study was to assess the topography of EEG power and the activation of brain structures during slow wave sleep under normal conditions and after sleep deprivation. Sleep EEG recordings during baseline and recovery sleep after 40 h of sustained wakefulness were analyzed (eight healthy young men, 27 channel EEG). Power maps were computed for the first non-REM sleep episode (where sleep pressure is highest) in baseline and recovery sleep, at frequencies between 0.5 and 2 Hz. Power maps had a frontal predominance at all frequencies between 0.5 and 2 Hz. An additional occipital focus of activity was observed below 1 Hz. Power maps ≤ 1 Hz were not affected by sleep deprivation, whereas an increase in power was observed in the maps ≥ 1.25 Hz. Based on the response to sleep deprivation, low-delta (0.5–1 Hz) and mid-delta activity (1.25–2 Hz) were dissociated. Electrical sources within the cortex of low- and mid-delta activity were estimated using eLORETA. Source localization revealed a predominantly frontal distribution of activity for low-delta and mid-delta activity. Sleep deprivation resulted in an increase in source strength only for mid-delta activity, mainly in parietal and frontal regions. Low-delta activity dominated in occipital and temporal regions and mid-delta activity in limbic and frontal regions independent of the level of sleep pressure. Both, power maps and electrical sources exhibited trait-like aspects.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Sources of baseline and recovery of single individuals form a cluster indicated by different colors. (Color figure online)

Fig. 6

Sources in the two bands were normalized (activity across all voxels equals one) and the difference between low- and mid-delta activity was calculated (top row). Bottom row: significant log of F ratio at p < 0.05 (yellow areas correspond to low-delta > mid-delta activity; blue areas correspond to mid-delta activity > low-delta activity). Please note that the first panel of the statistics is a view from bottom and not from top. L left, R right, A anterior, S superior. (Color figure online)

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Abbreviations

EEG:

Electroencephalogram,

LORETA:

Low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography,

non-REM:

Non-rapid eye movement (sleep),

REM:

Rapid eye movement (sleep),

SEM:

Standard error of mean,

SWA:

Slow-wave activity (EEG power in 0.75–4.5 Hz range),

SWS:

Slow wave sleep

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Alexander Borbély for comments on the manuscript. The study was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation Grant 320030-130766 and 32003B_146643.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland

    Alessia Bersagliere, Leila Tarokh & Peter Achermann

  2. Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Alessia Bersagliere & Peter Achermann

  3. The KEY Institute for Brain-Mind Research, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital of Psychiatry, Zurich, Switzerland

    Roberto D. Pascual-Marqui & Peter Achermann

  4. University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Leila Tarokh

  5. Zurich Center for Interdisciplinary Sleep Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Peter Achermann

  6. Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Peter Achermann

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  1. Alessia Bersagliere
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  2. Roberto D. Pascual-Marqui
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Correspondence to Peter Achermann.

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Bersagliere, A., Pascual-Marqui, R.D., Tarokh, L. et al. Mapping Slow Waves by EEG Topography and Source Localization: Effects of Sleep Deprivation. Brain Topogr 31, 257–269 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10548-017-0595-6

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