Frontiers in Neurology (Dec 2012)

NREM sleep oscillations and brain plasticity in aging

  • Stuart eFogel,
  • Stuart eFogel,
  • Nicolas eMartin,
  • Nicolas eMartin,
  • Nicolas eMartin,
  • Marjolaine eLafortune,
  • Marjolaine eLafortune,
  • Marc eBarakat,
  • Marc eBarakat,
  • Marc eBarakat,
  • Karen eDebas,
  • Karen eDebas,
  • Samuel eLaventure,
  • Samuel eLaventure,
  • Véronique eLatreille,
  • Véronique eLatreille,
  • Jean-François eGagnon,
  • Jean-François eGagnon,
  • Julien eDoyon,
  • Julien eDoyon,
  • Julie eCarrier,
  • Julie eCarrier,
  • Julie eCarrier

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2012.00176
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3

Abstract

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The human electroencephalogram (EEG) during non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) is characterized mainly by high-amplitude (> 75 µV), slow-frequency (< 4 Hz) waves (slow waves; SW) and sleep spindles (~11-15 Hz; > 0.25 s). These NREM oscillations play a crucial role in brain plasticity, and importantly, NREM sleep oscillations change considerably with aging. This review discusses the association between NREM sleep oscillations and cerebral plasticity as well as the functional impact of age-related changes on NREM sleep oscillations. We propose that age-related reduction in sleep-dependent memory consolidation may be due in part to changes in NREM sleep oscillations.

Keywords