scholarly journals 0110 Fluctuations Across the Menstrual Cycle in Cardiac Autonomic Activity During Sleep and Wake May Affect Memory Consolidation

SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A43-A44
Author(s):  
N Sattari ◽  
K Simon ◽  
S Mednick
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Rem Sleep ◽  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Parasympathetic Activity ◽  
Autonomic Activity ◽  
Menstrual Phase ◽  
Memory Improvement ◽  
Cardiac Autonomic Activity

Abstract Introduction Prior studies have shown that benefits of sleep for memory consolidation may be influenced by menstrual phase. Menstrual phase also impact autonomic regulation during sleep, and autonomic activity has been recently shown to play a role in sleep-dependent memory consolidation. Methods We investigated the interaction of menstrual cycle and autonomic activity measured by heart rate-variability (HRV) on sleep-dependent memory consolidation among 18-healthy females. Using a within-subjects design, we investigated episodic memory improvement with a nap paradigm during two phases of women’s menstrual cycle: 1) perimenses: −5 to +5 days from menses-onset, and 2) non-perimenses: window outside of perimenses. Subjects completed the memory test before (Test1) and after (Test2) a 90-minute polysomnographically (PSG)-recorded nap. We recorded sleep and HRV during 5-minutes of wake, and during the nap. Next, we compared sleep, HRV (RMSSD and HFnu), and memory performance between the two menstrual phases. Results Sleep architecture did not differ between perimenses and non-perimenses. Women performed similarly on the memory task at Test 1 (all ps>.061), but at Test 2, non-perimenses showed better performance (p = 0.02). Autonomically, perimenses had higher parasympathetic activity during wake (RMSSD-p = 0.04) and REM-sleep (HFnu-p = 0.04), compared with non-perimenses. Using bivariate correlations, we found positive associations between wake-HFnu and memory improvement (p = .02) during perimenses. In contrast, non-perimenses’ memory improvement was negatively correlated with wake-RMSSD (p <.001). In perimenses, memory improvement was also positively associtated with REM-HFnu (p = .04). No associations were found between autonomic sleep activity and memory in non-perimenses phase. Conclusion Our findings indicate a role for autonomic activity in memory improvement in both sleep and wake that is modulated by the menstrual cycle. HRV measures of parasympathetic activity were higher during perimenses phase in wake and REM-sleep. Interestingly, the HRV measures showed opposing relations with memory improvement based on the phase of the menstrual cycle. In sum, women’s cardiac autonomic activity fluctuates by menstrual phase and it is possible that these fluctuations affect the magnitude and direction of sleep-related memory consolidation. Support Sattari et al., 2017; Genzel et al., 2012; de Zambotti et al., 2013; Whitehurst et al., 2016.

Pharmacologically Increasing Sleep Spindles Enhances Recognition for Negative and High-arousal Memories

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (10) ◽  
pp. 1597-1610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik J. Kaestner ◽  
John T. Wixted ◽  
Sara C. Mednick
Keyword(s):  
Rem Sleep ◽  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Declarative Memory ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Emotional Memory ◽  
Limited Range ◽  
Sleep Spindles ◽  
Sleep Spindle ◽  
Emotional Stimuli ◽  
Valence And Arousal

Sleep affects declarative memory for emotional stimuli differently than it affects declarative memory for nonemotional stimuli. However, the interaction between specific sleep characteristics and emotional memory is not well understood. Recent studies on how sleep affects emotional memory have focused on rapid eye movement sleep (REM) but have not addressed non-REM sleep, particularly sleep spindles. This is despite the fact that sleep spindles are implicated in declarative memory as well as neural models of memory consolidation (e.g., hippocampal neural replay). Additionally, many studies examine a limited range of emotional stimuli and fail to disentangle differences in memory performance because of variance in valence and arousal. Here, we experimentally increase non-REM sleep features, sleep spindle density, and SWS, with pharmacological interventions using zolpidem (Ambien) and sodium oxybate (Xyrem) during daytime naps. We use a full spread of emotional stimuli to test all levels of valence and arousal. We find that increasing sleep spindle density increases memory discrimination (da) for highly arousing and negative stimuli without altering measures of bias (ca). These results indicate a broader role for sleep in the processing of emotional stimuli with differing effects based on arousal and valence, and they raise the possibility that sleep spindles causally facilitate emotional memory consolidation. These findings are discussed in terms of the known use of hypnotics in individuals with emotional mood disorders.

scholarly journals Coupling of autonomic and central events during sleep benefits declarative memory consolidation

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Naji ◽  
Giri P. Krishnan ◽  
Elizabeth A McDevitt ◽  
Maxim Bazhenov ◽  
Sara C. Mednick
Keyword(s):  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Declarative Memory ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Nrem Sleep ◽  
Heart Beat ◽  
Vagal Activity ◽  
Rr Intervals ◽  
Slow Oscillations ◽  
Event Based

AbstractWhile anatomical pathways between forebrain cognitive and brainstem autonomic nervous centers are well defined, autonomic–central interactions during sleep and their contribution to waking performance are not understood. Here, we analyzed simultaneous central activity via electroencephalography (EEG) and autonomic heart beat-to-beat intervals (RR intervals) from electrocardiography (ECG) during wake and daytime sleep. We identified bursts of ECG activity that lasted 4-5 seconds and predominated in non-rapid-eye-movement sleep (NREM). Using event-based analysis of NREM sleep, we found an increase in delta (0.5-4Hz) and sigma (12-15Hz) power and an elevated density of slow oscillations (0.5-1Hz) about 5 secs prior to peak of the heart rate burst, as well as a surge in vagal activity, assessed by high-frequency (HF) component of RR intervals. Using regression framework, we show that these Autonomic/Central Events (ACE) positively predicted post-nap improvement in a declarative memory task after controlling for the effects of spindles and slow oscillations from sleep periods without ACE. No such relation was found between memory performance and a control nap. Additionally, NREM ACE negatively correlated with REM sleep and learning in a non-declarative memory task. These results provide the first evidence that coordinated autonomic and central events play a significant role in declarative memory consolidation.

scholarly journals Cardiac Autonomic Activity During Wakefulness and Sleep in REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

SLEEP ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 367-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luigi Ferini-Strambi ◽  
Alessandro Oldani ◽  
Marco Zucconi ◽  
Salvatore Smirne
Keyword(s):  
Rem Sleep ◽  
Rem Sleep Behavior Disorder ◽  
Behavior Disorder ◽  
Autonomic Activity ◽  
Sleep Behavior ◽  
Cardiac Autonomic Activity

scholarly journals Sex and Menstrual Phase Influences on Sleep and Memory

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandra Alonso ◽  
Lisa Genzel ◽  
Angela Gomez
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Circadian Regulation ◽  
Complex Relationship ◽  
Menstrual Phase ◽  
Sexual Hormones ◽  
Brain Areas ◽  
And Performance

Abstract Purposes of Review This review highlights the effect of sex differences in sleep mediated memory consolidation and cognitive performance. In addition, the role of menstrual cycle and the fluctuating level of sexual hormones (mainly oestrogen and progesterone) are stressed. Recent Findings The literature indicates that sex hormones mediate and orchestrate the differences observed in performance of females in comparison with males in a variety of tasks and can also be related to how sleep benefits cognition. Although the exact mechanism of such influence is not clear, it most likely involves differential activation of brain areas, sensitivity to neuromodulators (mainly oestrogen), circadian regulation of sleep and temperature, as well as modification of strategies to solve tasks across the menstrual cycle. Summary With the evidence presented here, we hope to encourage researchers to develop appropriate paradigms to study the complex relationship between menstrual cycle, sleep (its regulation, architecture and electrophysiological hallmarks) and performance in memory and other cognitive tasks.

scholarly journals Odor-evoked category reactivation in human ventromedial prefrontal cortex during sleep promotes memory consolidation

eLife ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura K Shanahan ◽  
Eva Gjorgieva ◽  
Ken A Paller ◽  
Thorsten Kahnt ◽  
Jay A Gottfried
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Slow Wave Sleep ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Odor Cues ◽  
Object Location Memory ◽  
Level Information

Slow-wave sleep is an optimal opportunity for memory consolidation: when encoding occurs in the presence of a sensory cue, delivery of that cue during sleep enhances retrieval of associated memories. Recent studies suggest that cues might promote consolidation by inducing neural reinstatement of cue-associated content during sleep, but direct evidence for such mechanisms is scant, and the relevant brain areas supporting these processes are poorly understood. Here, we address these gaps by combining a novel olfactory cueing paradigm with an object-location memory task and simultaneous EEG-fMRI recording in human subjects. Using pattern analysis of fMRI ensemble activity, we find that presentation of odor cues during sleep promotes reactivation of category-level information in ventromedial prefrontal cortex that significantly correlates with post-sleep memory performance. In identifying the potential mechanisms by which odor cues selectively modulate memory in the sleeping brain, these findings bring unique insights into elucidating how and what we remember.

scholarly journals The Memory Function of Noradrenergic Activity in Non-REM Sleep

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (9) ◽  
pp. 2582-2592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steffen Gais ◽  
Björn Rasch ◽  
Johannes C. Dahmen ◽  
Susan Sara ◽  
Jan Born
Keyword(s):  
Locus Coeruleus ◽  
Rem Sleep ◽  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Memory Function ◽  
Recognition Task ◽  
Brain State ◽  
Memory Retention ◽  
Odor Recognition ◽  
Noradrenaline Reuptake

There is a long-standing assumption that low noradrenergic activity during sleep reflects mainly the low arousal during this brain state. Nevertheless, recent research has demonstrated that the locus coeruleus, which is the main source of cortical noradrenaline, displays discrete periods of intense firing during non-REM sleep, without any signs of awakening. This transient locus coeruleus activation during sleep seems to occur in response to preceding learning-related episodes. In the present study, we manipulate noradrenergic activity during sleep in humans with either the α2-autoreceptor agonist clonidine or the noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor reboxetine. We show that reducing noradrenergic activity during sleep, but not during wakefulness, impairs subsequent memory performance in an odor recognition task. Increasing noradrenergic availability during sleep, in contrast, enhances memory retention. We conclude that noradrenergic activity during non-REM sleep interacts with other sleep-related mechanisms to functionally contribute to off-line memory consolidation.

scholarly journals Age-related losses in cardiac autonomic activity during a daytime nap

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pin-Chun Chen ◽  
Negin Sattari ◽  
Lauren N. Whitehurst ◽  
Sara C. Mednick
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Nrem Sleep ◽  
Parasympathetic Activity ◽  
Total Power ◽  
Autonomic Activity ◽  
Daytime Sleep ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Daytime Nap ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Cardiac Autonomic Activity

AbstractIn healthy, young individuals, a reduction in cardiovascular output and a shift from sympathetic to parasympathetic (vagal) dominance is observed from wake into stages of nocturnal and daytime sleep. This cardiac autonomic profile, measured by heart rate variability (HRV), has been associated with significant benefits for cardiovascular health. Aging is associated with decreased nighttime sleep quality and lower parasympathetic activity during both sleep and resting. However, it is not known whether age-related dampening of HRV extends to daytime sleep, diminishing the cardiovascular benefits of naps in the elderly. Here, we investigated this question by comparing the autonomic activity profile between young and older healthy adults during a daytime nap and a similar period of wakefulness (quiet wake; QW). For each condition, from the electrocardiogram (ECG), we obtained beat-to-beat HRV intervals (RR), root mean square of successive differences between adjacent heart-beat-intervals (RMSSD), high frequency (HF), low frequency (LF) power and total power (TP), HF normalized units (HFnu), and the LF/HF ratio. As previously reported, young subjects showed a parasympathetic dominance during NREM, compared with REM, pre-nap rest, and WASO. On the other hand, older, compared to younger, adults showed significantly lower vagally-mediated HRV (measured by RMSSD, HF, HFnu) during NREM. Interestingly, however, no age-related differences were detected during pre-nap rest or QW. Altogether, our findings suggest a sleep-specific reduction in parasympathetic modulation that is unique to NREM sleep in older adults.Impact StatementSleep is naturally modulated by the autonomic nervous system (ANS), with greater dominance of parasympathetic over sympathetic activity during non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep. As such, sleep has been termed a “cardiovascular holiday” and has been associated with positive health outcomes. Aging, however, is linked to decreases in cardiac autonomic activity and sympathovagal imbalance. While the impact of aging on ANS activity during nocturnal sleep has received some attention, the cardiac profiles during a daytime nap, to our knowledge, have not yet been studied under the context of aging. Herein, young adults demonstrated increased parasympathetic activity during deep sleep. Older adults, however, showed less parasympathetic modulation during NREM sleep, suggesting loss of the cardiovascular holiday. Importantly, no age-related declines in parasympathetic activity were detected during wake, suggesting a sleep-specific reduction in parasympathetic modulation that is unique to NREM sleep in older adults.

scholarly journals Bi-temporal anodal tDCS during slow-wave sleep boosts episodic memory consolidation in high performers

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Grieder ◽  
Yosuke Morishima ◽  
Stephanie Winkelbeiner ◽  
Sarah M Mueller ◽  
Kristoffer Feher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Slow Wave ◽  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Slow Wave Sleep ◽  
Declarative Memory ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Anodal Tdcs ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
High Performers

Background: Sleep is crucial for sound memory functioning in humans. In particular, the slow waves that occur predominantly during slow wave sleep (SWS) are associated with hippocampus-dependent declarative memory consolidation. Making use of this association, boosting SWS to improve memory performance would be appealing for both healthy and memory-impaired populations. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation that modulates the brain’s excitability and has shown promising results in improving memory performance. However, owing to differing stimulation protocols and contradictory findings, there is insufficient evidence for the efficacy of tDCS-modulated hippocampal excitability on SWS and sleep-dependent memory consolidation.Hypotheses: We aimed to enhance sleep-dependent memory consolidation and augment slow wave amplitudes.Methods: We applied bi-temporal anodal tDCS to the left and right lateral temporal lobes of 31 healthy participants in a double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized crossover study. State-dependent tDCS was administered during slow wave sleep only. A pair-associate episodic memory task was used to assess sleep-dependent memory consolidation with face-occupation stimuli with baseline retrieval before sleep and delayed retrieval after sleep.Results: Sleep-dependent memory consolidation was increased by tDCS only in participants who showed above-average performance (i.e. high performers) in baseline memory retrieval. Moreover, tDCS increased the slow wave amplitudes compared to sham.Conclusions: When targeting a specialized brain mechanism such as memory consolidation with tDCS during slow wave sleep, only those who were high performers at baseline achieved a memory boost.

Effects of sleep pressure on endogenous cardiac autonomic activity and body temperature

2002 ◽  
Vol 92 (6) ◽  
pp. 2578-2584 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra L. Holmes ◽  
Helen J. Burgess ◽  
Drew Dawson
Keyword(s):  
Body Temperature ◽  
Sympathetic Activity ◽  
Core Body Temperature ◽  
Parasympathetic Activity ◽  
Autonomic Activity ◽  
Sinus Arrhythmia ◽  
Cardiac Parasympathetic Activity ◽  
Young Subjects ◽  
Core Body ◽  
Cardiac Autonomic Activity

This study investigated the effects of variations in sleep pressure on cardiac autonomic activity and body temperature. In a counterbalanced design, 12 healthy, young subjects (6 men and 6 women) remained recumbent during 30 h of wakefulness (high sleep pressure) and 6 h of wakefulness (low sleep pressure). Both periods of wakefulness were immediately followed by a sleep opportunity, and the first 2 h of sleep were analyzed. During extended hours of wakefulness, a reduction in heart rate was mediated by a decline in cardiac sympathetic activity (measured via preejection period) and the maintenance of cardiac parasympathetic activity (measured via respiratory sinus arrhythmia). In subsequent high-pressure sleep, parasympathetic activity was amplified and sympathetic activity was negatively associated with electroencephalographic slow-wave activity. Sleep deprivation had no impact on foot temperature, but it did alter the pattern of change in core body temperature. A downregulation of cardiac autonomic activity during both extended hours of wakefulness and subsequent sleep may respectively provide “protection” and “recovery” from the temporal extension of cardiac demand.

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