1. Physiological movements during sleep in healthy adults across all ages: a video-polysomnographic analysis of non-codified movements reveals sex differences and distinct motor patterns.
- Author
-
Montini A, Loddo G, Zenesini C, Mainieri G, Baldelli L, Mignani F, Mondini S, and Provini F
- Subjects
- Humans, Male, Female, Adult, Middle Aged, Aged, Video Recording, Young Adult, Sleep Stages physiology, Sleep physiology, Sex Factors, Age Factors, Polysomnography, Movement physiology
- Abstract
Study Objectives: To define sleep-related movements in healthy adults according to sex and age., Methods: Sleep-related movements from 50 video-polysomnography (vPSG) recordings of 27 men and 23 women, from 20 to 70 years old, were classified according to International classification of sleep disorders (ICSD-3-TR) and American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) criteria (codified movements); the remaining movements (non-codified movements) were described according to type (elementary movements-EMs or complex movements-CMs), topography (focal, segmental, multifocal or generalized) and, if present, were assigned to motor patterns (MPs)., Results: Of 4057 movements analyzed, 54.6% (2216/4057) were non-codified (1861 CMs, 355 EMs) and 1841 were codified. CMs were mainly generalized (70%) while EMs were multifocal (40%) or focal (30%). The median movement index (MI; movement/hour) was 11 and the median duration was 4 seconds. MI decreased from stages N1/REM > N2 > N3; men showed a higher MI. An MP was assigned to 2204 codified and non-codified movements, mainly stretching (50%) and scratching (30%). Stretching increased in REM sleep while food-carrying behaviors increased in N2. Men showed more food-carrying behaviors, changes of body positions, and comfort movements while stretching was more common in women. Younger participants exhibited more food-carrying behaviors, while scratching and stretching were more prevalent in the middle-aged group. Older participants showed more changes in body positions and comfort movements., Conclusions: In total, 54.6% of sleep-related movements in healthy participants were non-codified and characterized by motor sequences that can configure MPs. Our comprehensive classification method allows a detailed description of the physiological movements underlying differential motor control during sleep stages influenced by age and sex., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Sleep Research Society.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF