Cited by 113Sleep and Wakefulness ResearchSleep and related disordersNeural dynamics and brain function

Whole-night continuous rocking entrains spontaneous neural oscillations with benefits for sleep and memory

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Perrault, Aurore A., Khani, Abbas, Quairiaux, Charles, Kompotis, Konstantinos, Franken, Paul, Muhlethaler, Michel, Schwartz, Sophie, Bayer, Laurence·2019·Current Biology

Abstract

Sensory processing continues during sleep and can influence brain oscillations. We previously showed that a gentle rocking stimulation (0.25 Hz), during an afternoon nap, facilitates wake-sleep transition and boosts endogenous brain oscillations (i.e., EEG spindles and slow oscillations [SOs]). Here, we tested the hypothesis that the rhythmic rocking stimulation synchronizes sleep oscillations, a neurophysiological mechanism referred to as "neural entrainment." We analyzed EEG brain responses related to the stimulation recorded from 18 participants while they had a full night of sleep on a rocking bed. Moreover, because sleep oscillations are considered of critical relevance for memory processes, we also investigated whether rocking influences overnight declarative memory consolidation. We first show that, compared to a stationary night, continuous rocking shortened the latency to non-REM (NREM) sleep and strengthened sleep maintenance, as indexed by increased NREM stage 3 (N3) duration and fewer arousals. These beneficial effects were paralleled by an increase in SOs and in slow and fast spindles during N3, without affecting the physiological SO-spindle phase coupling. We then confirm that, during the rocking night, overnight memory consolidation was enhanced and also correlated with the increase in fast spindles, whose co-occurrence with the SO up-state is considered to foster cortical synaptic plasticity. Finally, supporting the hypothesis that a rhythmic stimulation entrains sleep oscillations, we report a temporal clustering of spindles and SOs relative to the rocking cycle. Altogether, these findings demonstrate that a continuous rocking stimulation strengthens deep sleep via the neural entrainment of intrinsic sleep oscillations.

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Authors
Perrault, A. A., Khani, A., Quairiaux, C., Kompotis, K., Franken, P., Muhlethaler, M., Schwartz, S., & Bayer, L.
Affiliations
  • University of Geneva (CH)
  • University of Lausanne (CH)
Corresponding author
  • Perrault, Aurore A.
  • Bayer, Laurence
Venue
Current Biology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2019-02
Volume
29
Issue
3
Pages
402-411.e3
ISSN
0960-9822 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2914936922
Cited by
113
References
81
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 10
FWCI
7.85
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Current Biology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Archive ouverte UNIGE (University of Geneva) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • IRIS (submittedVersion)
  • SERVAL (Université de Lausanne) (submittedVersion)
  • Archive ouverte UNIGE (University of Geneva) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Swiss National Science Foundation (CR3113_149731)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
Keywords
neural entrainment, sleep oscillations, EEG spindles, slow oscillations, sleep maintenance, NREM sleep, memory consolidation, declarative memory, arousal, synaptic plasticity
MeSH terms
Memory Consolidation, Adult, Brain, Electroencephalography, Electromyography, Electrooculography, Female, Humans, Male, Motion, Sleep, Vestibule, Labyrinth, Polysomnography, Cross-Over Studies, Young Adult

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