Cited by 83Sleep and Wakefulness ResearchNeural dynamics and brain functionSleep and related disorders

Spatio-temporal properties of sleep slow waves and implications for development

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Timofeev, Igor, Schoch, Sarah F, LeBourgeois, Monique K, Huber, Reto, Riedner, Brady A, Kurth, Salome·2020·Current Opinion in Physiology

Abstract

Objective sleep quality can be measured by electroencephalography (EEG), a non-invasive technique to quantify electrical activity generated by the brain. With EEG, sleep depth is measured by appearance and an increase in slow wave activity (scalp-SWA). EEG slow waves (scalp-SW) are the manifestation of underlying synchronous membrane potential transitions between silent (DOWN) and active (UP) states. This bistable periodic rhythm is defined as slow oscillation (SO). During its "silent state" cortical neurons are hyperpolarized and appear inactive, while during its "active state" cortical neurons are depolarized, fire spikes and exhibit continuous synaptic activity, excitatory and inhibitory. In adults, data from high-density EEG revealed that scalp-SW propagate across the cortical mantle in complex patterns. However, scalp-SW propagation undergoes modifications across development. We present novel data from children, indicating that scalp-SW originate centro-parietally, and emerge more frontally by adolescence. Based on the concept that SO and SW could actively modify neuronal connectivity, we discuss whether they fulfill a key purpose in brain development by actively conveying modifications of the maturing brain.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cophys.2020.01.007

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  • SO activity during the first 1.5 years of life dominates over occipital cortical regions, whereas in adults it dominates over frontal cortical regions.

    “For example, SO activity during the first 1.5 years of life dominates over occipital cortical regions, whereas in adults it dominates over frontal cortical regions.254”

    From Sleep—A brain-state serving systems memory consolidation (2023) · cites this paper as [254]

    The Conclusions (page unavailable) say that sleep slow waves originate mostly in frontal cortex in adults, supporting the adult comparison. For young children, however, they identify centro-parietal—not occipital—origins, and do not establish the claim for the first 1.5 years of life. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Cue delivery during TMR is associated with increased SO power, amplitude and density, increased spindle power and density, and improved SO-spindle coupling, often associated with TMR-induced memory advantage.

    “It is associated with increased SO power, amplitude and density, 120,125,128 increased spindle power and density, 116,117,120,128 as well as improved SO-spindle coupling, 120 and these characteristics are often associated with the TMRinduced memory advantage.”

    From Sleep—A brain-state serving systems memory consolidation (2023) · cites this paper as [128]

    The “Function of propagating SO” section links slow waves to sleep-dependent memory consolidation and reports stronger fast-spindle coupling for global slow waves. It does not address TMR cue delivery or report the claimed increases in SO or spindle measures, improved coupling after cues, or a TMR-induced memory advantage. Searches for TMR and cue delivery found no relevant passage in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.76)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Authors
Timofeev, I., Schoch, S. F., LeBourgeois, M. K., Huber, R., Riedner, B. A., & Kurth, S.
Affiliations
  • Université Laval (CA)
  • University Hospital Zurich (CH)
  • University of Colorado Boulder (US)
  • University Children's Hospital Zurich (CH)
  • University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
Venue
Current Opinion in Physiology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-06
Volume
15
Pages
172-182
ISSN
2468-8673 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3003601878
Cited by
83
References
97
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 6
FWCI
1.62
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Current Opinion in Physiology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (MH-086566)
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MOP-136967, MOP-136969, NS104368)
  • Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (P0ZHP1-178697, PBZHP3-138801, PBZHP3-147180, PCEFP1-181279, PP00A-114923)
  • Universität Zürich (FK-18-047)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
Keywords
sleep slow waves, slow oscillations, sleep depth, sleep quality, slow wave propagation, brain development, children, adolescence, neuronal connectivity, high-density EEG

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