Chapter 54 Rett's syndrome – spindle activity analysis in NREM sleep

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses sleep spindles and fast activities during the stage of non rapid eye movement (NREM) and assesses their paucity or disappearance in the context of sleep architecture deterioration in patients with Rett's syndrome. A study has been carried out to visually analyze sleep spindles and fast activities during five consecutive minutes from the middle of each stage selected. The same methods were used in the age-matched control group of patients—six girls with verified Rett's syndrome. In this study, the significant paucity of sleep spindles (B2) per minute in the fronto-central region correlated with age in the patient group. No B2 at all were observed in the oldest patients. In contrast, there has been a growing number of age dependent B2 in the control group. More B2 in the right hemisphere in comparison with the left side were found in the patients. The paucity of B2 in Rett's syndrome has already been noted. A decrease in their total number has also been reported in trisomy 21, in hypothyroid infants, in neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. However, the number of B2 per minute has not been quantified yet.