Three-hour polygraphic recordings were performed in early premature infants born between 24 and 31 weeks of gestational ages.
Although two sleep states can be identified behaviorally as early as 24 weeks of post-conceptional age, there is no electroencephalographic difference between active and quiet sleep at 24-25 weeks. There is no regular cyclic organization of sleep as seen at later post-conceptional ages. In either sleep EEG shows a burst-flat pattern. Active sleep is an ill-defined sleep state, rarely fulfilling all the be havioral and polygraphic criteria of REM sleep. Quiet sleep is more distinct sleep state, though sub mental EMG israrely present.
After 26 weeks, EEG becomes more continuous in active sleep, though often interrupted by briefer isoelectric episodes than in quiet sleep.
After 32 weeks, EEG shows high amplitude continuous tracing in active sleep.
In contrast, EEG in quiet sleep shows no remarkable changes, consisting of the burst-flat activity from 24 through 31 weeks.
The amount of quiet sleep ranged 30-40% of the total sleep time in this age period. Later diminition of active sleep can be ascribed to later deliniation and separation of REM sleep from an illdefined active sleep which might comprise precursor of REM, drowsiness and even light sleep.
The modal value of burst-burst intervals of the burst-flat pattern in quiet sleep were found to be relatively constant from 24 through 40 weeks, though longer intervals are more frequent in the younger prematures.
Well-defined visusal and auditory evoked responses were observed even in the flat part of the burst-flat activity as early as 25 weeks of post-conceptional age.
抄録全体を表示