Changes in interhemispheric amplitude relationships in the EEG during sleep

doi:10.1016/0031-9384(72)90289-2

Physiology & Behavior

Volume 8, Issue 5, May 1972, Pages 811-815

https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9384(72)90289-2 Get rights and content

Abstract

The method of integrative EEG analysis has been used to establish ratios between amplitudes in the left and right cerebral hemispheres during spontaneous sleep in man, in cats and in rabbits. The data indicate that coincident with each occurrence of a shift from a period of slow wave sleep to a period of rapid-eye movement sleep a reversal of the deviations of the individual ratios from the overall mean ratio established for the whole period of recording took place. This indicates a change in interhemispheric amplitude relationships and might be related to the differences in brain function during the two kinds of sleep.

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Cited by (137)

Psychophysiological States: the Ultradian Dynamics of Mind-Body Interactions
2007, International Review of Neurobiology
Citation Excerpt :
Greater relative EEG amplitudes in the left hemisphere correlated with REM sleep which is considered to be the “active” phase during the cycle (Goldstein et al., 1972). Right‐brain:left body dominance would therefore be expected to correlate with NREM sleep, or the “rest” phase of the BRAC since it is known that NREM sleep correlates with relatively greater EEG amplitudes in the right hemisphere (Goldstein et al., 1972). Since the left‐brain:right body/right‐brain:left body alternation is presumably regulated directly by competing sympathetic‐parasympathetic influences it is possible that the hypothalamus is the center for integration and regulation of this phenomenon.
This chapter examines new insights on how the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and hypothalamus play a central role in the modulation of the ultradian rhythms of cognition, behavior, physiological functions that support psychophysiological states during both waking and sleep, mechanisms of hypothalamic integration and regulation of the body's major systems, and the translational neuroscience that can now help exploit these new discoveries. It has been known for almost one century that the ANS and the hypothalamus play a critical role, at the most elementary levels, in the regulation of vital physiological functions that help insure both the survival and reproduction of the species. Electrical stimulation of specific regions in the hypothalamus evoked classical autonomic responses in papillary diameter, salivation, heart rate, sweating, defacation, and bladder contractions. Electrical stimulation in the medial parts of the tuberal region produced parasympathetic effects on heart rate, gastric motility, and bladder tone. These early findings led to the seminal studies and conclusions that the anterior region of the hypothalamus is more concerned with parasympathetic mechanisms and that the posterior region is more concerned with the sympathetic mechanisms.
Hemispheric lateralization of the EEG during wakefulness and REM sleep in young healthy adults
2003, Brain and Cognition
EEG recordings confirm hemispheric lateralization of brain activity during cognitive tasks. The aim of the present study was to investigate spontaneous EEG lateralization under two conditions, waking and REM sleep. Bilateral monopolar EEG was recorded in eight participants using a 12-electrode montage, before the night (5 min eyes closed) and during REM sleep. Spectral analysis (0.75–19.75 Hz) revealed left prefrontal lateralization on total spectrum amplitude power and right occipital lateralization in Delta activity during waking. In contrast, during REM sleep, right frontal lateralization in Theta and Beta activities and right lateralization in occipital Delta activity was observed. These results suggest that spontaneous EEG activities generated during waking and REM sleep are supported in part by a common thalamo-cortical neural network (right occipital Delta dominance) while additional, possibly neuro-cognitive factors modulate waking left prefrontal dominance and REM sleep right frontal dominance.
Visual dream content, graphical representation and EEG alpha activity in congenitally blind subjects
2003, Cognitive Brain Research
It is currently claimed that congenitally blind do not have visual imagery and are therefore unable to present visual contents in their dreams. The aim of our study was to quantitatively evaluate the existence of visual imagery in born-blind dreams and to correlate it with objective measures, such as sleep EEG frequency components, namely with alpha attenuation (regarded as an indicator of visual activity), and graphical analysis of dream pictorial representations. The investigation was carried out via simultaneous recordings of dream reports and polysomnography, during nocturnal sleep at volunteers’ homes; scheduled regular awakenings during the night provided the data for dream and EEG analysis. In the morning, subjects were asked to make a drawing of their dream images. Congenitally blind (n=10) were comparable to normal sighted subjects (n=9): the two groups presented equivalent visual activity indices, and no differences in the analysis of graphical representation of dreaming imagery. However, blind subjects presented a lower rate of dream recall than sighted (27% versus 42%). Both groups had significant negative correlation between Visual Activity Index (VAI) and alpha power in the central and occipital O2 derivations (blind: C4: r=−0.615, P<0.005; O2: r=−0.608, P<0.006; sighted: C4: r=−0.633, P<0.01; O2: r=−0.506, P<0.05). This correlation was weaker for the blind in O1 (r=−0.573, P<0.05) and non-existent for the sighted. Blind individuals have significantly lower alpha activity in the central derivation. In conclusion, the congenitally blind have visual content in their dreams and are able to draw it and, as expected, their VAI is negatively correlated with EEG alpha power.
Ultradian rhythms of alternating cerebral hemispheric EEG dominance are coupled to rapid eye movement and non-rapid eye movement stage 4 sleep in humans
2001, Sleep Medicine
Objective: To replicate the left minus right (L−R) hemisphere EEG power shifts coupled to rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep observed in 1972 by Goldstein (Physiol Behav (1972) 811), and to characterize the L−R EEG power spectra for total EEG, delta, theta, alpha and beta bands.
Background: Ultradian alternating cerebral hemispheric dominance rhythms are observed using EEG during both waking and sleep, and with waking cognition. The question of whether this cerebral rhythm is coupled to the REM–NREM sleep cycle and the basic rest–activity cycle (BRAC) deserves attention.
Methods: L−R EEG signals for ten young, normal adult males were converted to powers and the means were normalized, smoothed and subtracted. Sleep hypnograms were compared with L−R EEGs, and spectra were computed for C3, C4 and L−R EEG powers.
Results: Significant peaks were found for all C3, C4 and L−R frequency bands at the 280–300, 75–125, 55–70 and 25–50 min bins, with power dominating in the 75–125 min bin. L−R EEG rhythms were observed for all bands. Greater right hemisphere EEG dominance was found during NREM stage 4 sleep, and greater left during REM for total EEG, delta and alpha bands (Chi-squares, P<0.001). Theta was similar, but not significant (P=0.163), and beta was equivocal.
Conclusions: Earlier ultradian studies show that lateral EEG and L−R EEG power have a common pacemaker, or a mutually entrained pacemaker with the autonomic, cardiovascular, neuroendocrine and fuel-regulatory hormone systems. These results for L−R EEG coupling to sleep stages and multi-variate relations may present a new perspective for Kleitman's BRAC and for diagnosing variants of pathopsychophysiological states.
Interhemispheric asymmetry during NREM sleep in the dog
2021, Scientific Reports
On the single-mindedness and isolation of dream psychophysiology
2021, Routledge Library Editions: Sleep and Dreams

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^☆: These studies were supported in part by an allocation from Grant FR-05558 USPHS.

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Changes in interhemispheric amplitude relationships in the EEG during sleep☆

Abstract

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Int. Rev. Neurobiol.

The other side of the brain. I. Dysgraphia and dyscopia following cerebral commissurotomy

Bull. Los Angeles Neurol. Soc.

Paw preference in cats related to hand preference in animals and in man

J. comp. physiol. Psychol.

Introduction à l'étude des activités bioélectriques corticales et de leur rapports avec les mécanismes cérébraux

Marseille Med.

L'integrateur de l'électroproduction cérébrale pour l'électroencephalographie quantitative

Rev. Neurol.

Right hemisphere specialization for depth perception reflected in visual field differences

Nature