Fluctuations between sleep and wakefulness: wake-like features indicated by increased EEG alpha power during different sleep stages in nightmare disorder.
Péter Simor, Klára Horváth, Péter P Ujma, Ferenc Gombos, Róbert Bódizs
Biological Psychology December 1, 2013 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2013.05.022 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 40 |
| Population | Individuals with nightmare disorder and healthy controls |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Alpha oscillations Power spectral analysis Rem parasomnia Sleep |
| Key findings | Individuals with nightmare disorder exhibit increased high alpha and high delta power during REM sleep and a trend of increased low alpha power during NREM sleep compared to healthy controls. |
Abstract
Although a growing body of research indicates that frequent nightmares are related to impaired sleep regulation, the pathophysiology of nightmare disorder is far from being fully understood. We examined the relative spectral power values for NREM and REM sleep separately in 19 individuals with nightmare disorder and 21 healthy controls, based on polysomnographic recordings of the second nights' laboratory sleep. Nightmare subjects compared to controls exhibited increased relative high alpha (10-14.5Hz) and fronto-central increases in high delta (3-4Hz) power during REM sleep, and a trend of increased fronto-central low alpha (7.75-9Hz) power in NREM sleep. These differences were independent of the confounding effects of waking emotional distress. High REM alpha and low NREM alpha powers were strongly related in nightmare but not in control subjects. The topographical distribution and spectral components of REM alpha activity suggest that nightmare disordered subjects are characterized by wake-like electroencephalographic features during REM sleep.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Dreaming: a State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming Student volunteers trained to become lucid and signal lucidity with horizontal eye... | 2009 | Observational study | n = 6 |
| Nightmare Prevalence, Nightmare Distress, and Self-Reported Psychological Disturbance Young adults with a mean age of 20 years | 2002 | Prospective observational study | n = 116 |
| Long-term effects of extreme situational stress on sleep and dreaming Survivors of traumatic events who complained of sleep disturbances, compared with... | 1987 | Case-control study | n = 11 |
| The relationship of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress to well‐being Adults who reported dreams | 2004 | Observational cohort | n = 147 |
| Dreaming in NREM Sleep: A High-Density EEG Study of Slow Waves and Spindles Healthy human subjects | 2018 | Observational cohort | n = 14 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 24
- Nightmare Disorder and Isolated Sleep Paralysis Neurotherapeutics November 23, 2020
- Increased Reward-Related Behaviors during Sleep and Wakefulness in Sleepwalking and Idiopathic Nightmares PLoS One August 19, 2015
- Predictive coding, multisensory integration, and attentional control: A multicomponent framework for lucid dreaming. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 1, 2022
- Altered parasympathetic activity during sleep and emotionally arousing wakefulness in frequent nightmare recallers European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience March 2, 2023
- Dreams and Nightmares in Early Pregnancy: A Comparative Study with a Control Group. Nature and Science of Sleep 2025
and 19 more in the library
Cites 13
- Prevalence and Correlates of Frequent Nightmares: A Community-Based 2-Phase Study Sleep June 1, 2010
- Lucid Dreaming and Alpha Activity: A Preliminary Report Perceptual and Motor Skills December 1, 1982
- Lucid, Prelucid, and Nonlucid Dreams Related to the Amount of EEG Alpha Activity during REM Sleep Psychophysiology July 1, 1984
- Nightmare frequency in patients with primary insomnia heiDOK (Heidelberg University) 2009
- Dreaming and health promotion: A theoretical proposal and some epidemiological establishments European Journal of Mental Health June 1, 2008
and 8 more in the library