Cited by 194Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic ControlSleep and Wakefulness ResearchNeuroscience of respiration and sleep

Dynamic coupling between the central and autonomic nervous systems during sleep: a review

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de Zambotti, Massimiliano, Trinder, John, Silvani, Alessandro, Colrain, Ian M., Baker, Fiona C.·2018·Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

Abstract

Sleep is characterized by coordinated cortical and cardiac oscillations reflecting communication between the central (CNS) and autonomic (ANS) nervous systems. Here, we review fluctuations in ANS activity in association with CNS-defined sleep stages and cycles, and with phasic cortical events during sleep (e.g., arousals, K-complexes). Recent novel analytic methods reveal a dynamic organization of integrated physiological networks during sleep and indicate how multiple factors (e.g., sleep structure, age, sleep disorders) affect "CNS-ANS coupling". However, these data are mostly correlational and there is a lack of clarity of the underlying physiology, making it challenging to interpret causality and direction of coupling. Experimental manipulations (e.g., evoking K-complexes or arousals) provide information on the precise temporal sequence of cortical-cardiac activity, and are useful for investigating physiological pathways underlying CNS-ANS coupling. With the emergence of new analytical approaches and a renewed interest in ANS and CNS communication during sleep, future work may reveal novel insights into sleep and cardiovascular interactions during health and disease, in which coupling could be adversely impacted.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.03.027

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180 of 180 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Close bidirectional coupling between sleep states and the autonomic nervous system is suggested by the marked increase in parasympathetic outflow during NREM, especially SWS.

    “Close, bidirectional coupling between sleep states and the autonomic nervous system is suggested by the marked increase in parasympathetic outflow during NREM, especially its deepest stage, SWS (de Zambotti et al., 2018).”

    From Physiological feelings (2019) · cites this paper as de Zambotti et al., 2018

    Section 2 (page unavailable) says HRV suggests stronger vagal modulation during NREM sleep. Section 1.2 (page unavailable) describes both efferent and afferent pathways underlying CNS–ANS coupling. The review does not establish a marked increase in parasympathetic outflow specifically during SWS; its N3 finding concerns baroreflex coupling, not parasympathetic outflow. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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  • A review by de Zambotti et al. (2018) showed that CNS and ANS measures couple during sleep, so that brain oscillatory activity parallels fluctuations in cardiac activity.

    “A review of the literature by de Zambotti et al. (2018), for example, showed that CNS and ANS measures couple during sleep, so that brain oscillatory activity parallels fluctuations in cardiac activity.”

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Abdullah H Maddage N Cosic I Cvetkovic D 2010a Brain and heart interaction during sleep in the healthy and sleep apnoea Biomedical Engineering and Sciences (IECBES), 2010 IEEE EMBS Conference on IEEE 276 280
  2. Abdullah H Maddage N Cvetkovic D 2012 Phase synchronization and directional coupling between brain and heart during sleep Biomedical Engineering and Sciences (IECBES), 2012 IEEE EMBS Conference on IEEE 659 663
  3. Hornyak M Cejnar M Elam M Matousek M Wallin B 1991b Sympathetic muscle nerve activity during sleep in man Brain 114 1281 1295 2065250

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Authors
de Zambotti, M., Trinder, J., Silvani, A., Colrain, I. M., & Baker, F. C.
Affiliations
  • The University of Melbourne (AU)
  • University of Bologna (IT)
  • SRI International (US)
Venue
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2018-07
Volume
90
Pages
84-103
ISSN
0149-7634 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2799328995
Cited by
194
References
180
Citations by year
2026: 18 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 33 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 4
FWCI
3.60
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (HL103688, AA021696, AA020565, AA024841)
  • National Health and Medical Research Council (1027076)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroscience of respiration and sleep
Keywords
autonomic nervous system, central nervous system, sleep, sleep stages, sleep cycles, cortical oscillations, cardiac oscillations, K-complexes, sleep arousal, sleep architecture, sleep disorders, age effects
MeSH terms
Autonomic Nervous System, Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena, Heart Rate, Humans, Sleep, Sleep Wake Disorders, Sleep Stages

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