The ontogeny of mammalian sleep: a response to Frank and Heller (2003)

Mark S Blumberg; Karl A E Karlsson; Adele M H Seelke; Ethan J Mohns

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2869.2004.00430_1.x

Back

The ontogeny of mammalian sleep: a response to Frank and Heller (2003)

Journal article

Open access

The ontogeny of mammalian sleep: a response to Frank and Heller (2003)

Mark S Blumberg, Karl A E Karlsson, Adele M H Seelke and Ethan J Mohns

Journal of sleep research, Vol.14(1), pp.91-98

03/2005

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2004.00430_1.x

PMCID: PMC2637352

PMID: 15743339

Files and links (1)

url

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2004.00430_1.xView

Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

In a recent review, Frank and Heller (2003) provided support for their 'presleep theory' of sleep development. According to this theory, rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (Non-REM) sleep in rats emerge from a common 'dissociated' state only when the neocortical EEG differentiates at 12 days of age (P12). Among the assumptions and inferences associated with this theory is that sleep before EEG differentiation is only 'sleep-like' and can only be characterized using behavioral measures; that the neural mechanisms governing presleep are distinct from those governing REM and Non-REM sleep; and that the presleep theory is the only theory that can account for developmental periods when REM and Non-REM sleep components appear to overlap. Evidence from our laboratory and others, however, refutes or casts doubt on these and other assertions. For example, infant sleep in rats is not 'sleep-like' in that it satisfies nearly every criterion used to characterize sleep across species. In addition, beginning as early as P2 in rats, myoclonic twitching occurs only against a background of muscle atonia, indicating that infant sleep is not dissociated and that electrographic measures are available for sleep characterization. Finally, improved techniques are leading to new insights concerning the neural substrates of sleep during early infancy. Thus, while many important developmental questions remain, the presleep theory, at least in its present form, does not accurately reflect the phenomenology of infant sleep.

Animals

Muscle Hypotonia - physiopathology

Sleep, REM - physiology

Homeostasis - physiology

Humans

Mammals - physiology

Rats

Circadian Rhythm - physiology

Electroencephalography

Sleep - physiology

Myoclonus - physiopathology

Details

Title: Subtitle: The ontogeny of mammalian sleep: a response to Frank and Heller (2003)
Creators: Mark S Blumberg - Program in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 5242, USA. mark-blumberg@uiowa.edu
Karl A E Karlsson
Adele M H Seelke
Ethan J Mohns
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of sleep research, Vol.14(1), pp.91-98
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2004.00430_1.x
PMID: 15743339
PMCID: PMC2637352
NLM abbreviation: J Sleep Res
ISSN: 0962-1105
eISSN: 1365-2869
Publisher: England
Grant note: MH50701 / NIMH NIH HHS MH66424 / NIMH NIH HHS R29 MH050701 / NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH050701-13 / NIMH NIH HHS K02 MH066424-07 / NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH050701 / NIMH NIH HHS K02 MH066424 / NIMH NIH HHS HD38708 / NICHD NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 03/2005
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biology
Record Identifier: 9984002465802771

Metrics

26 Record Views

29 Times Cited - Web of Science