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rapid eye movement (REM) sleep

Skeletal atonia & rapid movement of eyes during sleep occasionally associated with dreams. Special laboratory: - electrophysiologic correlates of human REM sleep a) EEG: low amplitude, mixed frequency, theta waves & beta waves b) electrooculogram: rapid, conjugate c) electromyogram: absent Physiology: - 1st onset on REM sleep generally occurs in the 2nd hour of sleep - REM & non-REM sleep alternate through the night with an average period of 90-110 minutes (ultradian cycle) - overall REM sleep accounts for 20-25% of total sleep (50% in infants) Pathology: - more rapid onset, especially < 30 minutes suggests pathology (depression, narcolepsy, circadian rhythm disorder, drug withdrawal) - during REM sleep, the intercostal muscles are hyperpolarized & unavailable resulting in episodic nocturnal hypoventilation in patients who use accessory muscles for respirations [3] - diminished REM sleep & longer REM sleep latency may be associated with increased risk for dementia [4]

Related

EEG beta rhythm (wave) EEG theta rhythm (wave) rapid eye movement sleep behavioral disorder (RBD)

General

sleep

References

  1. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 13th ed. Isselbacher et al (eds), McGraw-Hill Inc. NY, 1994, pg 163-165
  2. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 14th ed. Fauci et al (eds), McGraw-Hill Inc. NY, 1998, pg 153-154
  3. Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 15, American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 2009
  4. Pase MP, Himali JJ, Grima NA et al Sleep architecture and the risk of incident dementia in the community Neurology 2017; 89:1-7 PMID: 28835407