Nocturnal sleep architecture of preterm infants in the NICU.

Sleep is the main behavioural state of the preterm infant and a prerequisite for normal neuronal maturation and cortical development. Neonatal electroencephalography (EEG) is a useful cotside tool providing a unique view of sleep state organisation. This observational study describes the sleep architecture of mid to late preterm infants in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting. As the preservation of sleep supports neuronal maturation, routine overnight disturbances are recorded and quantified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]