The infraslow fluctuation of sigma power during sleep in young individuals with schizophrenia
OPEN ACCESS
Loading...
Author / Producer
Date
2025-11
Publication Type
Journal Article
ETH Bibliography
yes
OPEN ACCESS
Data
Rights / License
Abstract
A well-replicated finding in schizophrenia is a reduction in sleep spindles, a major electrophysiological characteristic of Non-Rapid Eye Movement sleep. However, recent evidence indicates that even in healthy individuals, sleep spindles are not uniformly distributed throughout the night. Rather, they fluctuate rhythmically on an infraslow ∼50-second timescale, alternating between periods of high and low spindle activity. This fluctuation is referred to as the infraslow fluctuation of sigma power (10-16 Hz EEG activity, ISFS), which is modulated by noradrenergic activity from the locus coeruleus and seems to organize periods of arousability and periods of memory reactivation processes during sleep. Given the known deficit in sleep spindles, dysregulation of noradrenergic activity, and impairments in sleep maintenance and memory in schizophrenia, this study investigates the ISFS in sleep EEG data from individuals with either Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia (COS; N = 17) or Early-Onset Schizophrenia (EOS; N = 11), aged 9 to 21 years, alongside age- and sex-matched healthy controls (N = 56). The ISFS strength was reduced in both COS and EOS groups compared to controls, particularly in central-parietal electrodes. No significant difference in the ISFS strength was found between the two clinical groups, nor were there correlations between the ISFS strength and clinical characteristics or spindle density. These findings suggest that the ISFS is detectable but attenuated in young patients with schizophrenia, underscoring the value of considering spindle timing when probing disease mechanisms and designing interventions.
Permanent link
Publication status
published
External links
Editor
Book title
Journal / series
Volume
285
Pages / Article No.
295 - 303
Publisher
Elsevier
Event
Edition / version
Methods
Software
Geographic location
Date collected
Date created
Subject
Schizophrenia; Sleep; Infraslow; Sleep spindles; Sigma power; Childhood; Adolescence
Organisational unit
03963 - Wenderoth, Nicole / Wenderoth, Nicole