Sleep, Slow-wave Sleep, Sleep Enhancement, Sleep Optimization Clinical Trial
Official title:
Optimizing Peripheral Sensory Stimulation to Induce Sleep Slow Waves
This is an observational study to determine if the presentation of sensory stimulation during sleep can increase slow-wave activity during non-rapid eye movement sleep
This is a single-site,unblinded study at the University of Wisconsin to determine the
effectiveness of various stimulation modalities and parameters to maximize effectiveness for
increasing slow waves during both nocturnal sleep and during daytime naps The ongoing study
is a necessary exploratory step towards the future development of non-pharmacological means
to improve sleep by increasing SWA.
Several different stimulation modalities will be examined including: auditory (soft tones
delivered to the subject through earphones); somatosensory (brief and painless electrical
pulses delivered to the median nerve through electrodes placed at the wrist); vestibular
(brief and painless electrical pulses delivered through electrodes placed near the mastoids);
olfactory (light puffs of air, with or without mild odorants, delivered to the nostril(s)
and/or mouth; visual (brief light flashes via strobe light). The amplitude (stimulus
intensity) and frequency (number of stimuli per unit time) of stimulation presentation will
be systematically varied to identify the ideal parameters for slow wave induction during
sleep. For each stimulation modality and each subject, we will determine the range of
stimulus intensity from the minimum level sufficient for perceptual response (e.g. - the
lowest volume setting for an auditory stimulus that the subject can hear) to a stimulus level
that the subject deems comfortable to still allow sleep. This is particularly important, as
sleep maintenance during these experiments requires stimulus intensity low enough to avoid
awakening the subject. Additionally, based on previous results from our laboratory, the
effective range of stimulus intensity will vary substantially between subjects - both the
identified range during wakefulness, as well as the range that induces slow waves but avoids
waking during the sleep recording. Given this response variability, during the sleep
recordings stimulus intensity will be adjusted, starting with the range determined in waking,
to find the optimal intensity to inducing sleep slow waves (based on EEG response patterns),
and avoiding subject awakening.
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