Synonyms
Sleep electroencephalograpy (EEG); Sleep brain wave activity
Definition
Recordings of the electrical activity of the brain during sleep.
Characteristics
Sleep EEG activity can be recorded by placing sensors directly into brain tissue or onto the surface of the scalp. Brain wave activity can be recorded from individual cells, from populations of cells and from the surface of the brain and scalp. The EEG has been used in both research and clinical settings. Hans Berger was the first to report performing an EEG recording on a human subject in 1929. Loomis and colleagues were the first to report recordings of the human sleep EEG [1–3]. In humans, electrodes are typically placed on the scalp according to the international 10–20 system [4]. Brain wave activity recorded at the scalp generally represents cortical activity [5]. However, synchronization between cortical and sub-cortical structures influences the sleep EEG recorded at the scalp [6]. The features most commonly used to...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Loomis AL, Harvey EN, Hobart G (1935) Potential rhythms of the cerebral cortex during sleep. Science 81: 597–598
Loomis AL, Harvey EN, Hobart (1935) Further observations on the potential rhythms of the cerebral cortex during sleep. Science 82:198–200
Davis H, Davis PA, Loomis AL, Harvey EN, Hobart G (1937) Changes in human brain potentials during the onset of sleep. Science 86:448–450
American Clinical Neurophysiology Society (2006) Guideline 5: guidelines for standard electrode position nomenclature. J Clin Neurophysiol 23:107–110
Olejniczak P (2006) Neurophysiologic basis of EEG. J Clin Neurophysiol 23:186–189
Steriade M (2005) Brain electrical activity and sensory processing during waking and sleep states. In: Kryger MH, Roth T, Dement WC (eds) Principles and practice of sleep medicine. W.B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, PA, pp 101–119
Wright KP Jr, Badia P, Wauquier A (1995) Topographical and temporal patterns of brain activity during the transition from wakefulness to sleep. Sleep 18:880–889
Dijk DJ (1995) EEG slow waves and sleep spindles: windows on the sleeping brain. Behav Brain Res 69: 109–116
Carskadon MA, Dement WC (2005) Kryger MH, Roth T, Dement WC (eds) Principles and practice of sleep medicine. W.B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, PA, pp 13–23
Poe GR, Nitz DA, McNaughton BL, Barnes CA (2000) Experience-dependent phase-reversal of hippocampal neuron firing during REM sleep. Brain Res 855:176–180
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2009 Springer-Verlag GmbH Berlin Heidelberg
About this entry
Cite this entry
Wright, K.P. (2009). EEG in Sleep States. In: Binder, M.D., Hirokawa, N., Windhorst, U. (eds) Encyclopedia of Neuroscience. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_2892
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_2892
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-23735-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-29678-2
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences