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EEG alpha power and alpha power asymmetry in sleep and wakefulness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 November 2002

RUTH M. BENCA ,
WILLIAM H. OBERMEYER ,
CHRISTINE L. LARSON ,
BLENDA YUN ,
ISA DOLSKI ,
KENNETH D. KLEIST ,
STEVEN M. WEBER  and
RICHARD J. DAVIDSON
RUTH M. BENCA
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin—Madison, USA Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin—Madison, USA
WILLIAM H. OBERMEYER
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin—Madison, USA
CHRISTINE L. LARSON
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin—Madison, USA
BLENDA YUN
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin—Madison, USA
ISA DOLSKI
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin—Madison, USA
KENNETH D. KLEIST
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin—Madison, USA
STEVEN M. WEBER
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin—Madison, USA
RICHARD J. DAVIDSON
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin—Madison, USA Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin—Madison, USA
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Abstract

Asymmetry of waking electroencephalography (EEG) alpha power in frontal regions has been correlated with waking emotional reactivity and the emotional content of dream reports. Little is known regarding alpha asymmetry during sleep. The present study was performed to compare alpha power and alpha power asymmetry in various brain regions across states of sleep and wakefulness. Waking and sleep EEG were recorded in a group of patients undergoing polysomnographic evaluation for possible sleep disorders. Alpha EEG asymmetry in frontal and temporal regions was significantly correlated in waking versus sleep, particularly during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. These results suggest that patterns of frontal alpha asymmetry are stable across sleep and waking and may be related to emotional reactivity during dreaming. During sleep, alpha power was highest during slow-wave sleep and lowest during REM sleep. Implications of these data for understanding the functional significance of alpha power during waking and sleeping are considered.

Keywords

ElectroencephalographyAlphaSleepREM sleepHuman
Type
Research Article
Information
Psychophysiology , Volume 36 , Issue 4 , July 1999 , pp. 430 - 436
Copyright
© 1999 Society for Psychophysiological Research

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