A NOVEL QUANTITATIVE MEASURE OF TRACE-ALTERNANT EEG ACTIVITY AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH SLEEP STATES OF PRETERM INFANTS

This study describes the application of a novel quantitative method fo r classifying patterns of EEG activity that are associated with the pr edominant sleep-rates of newborn infants. Periods in which there are a ssociated with the predominant sleep-states of newborn infants. Period s in which there are bursts of high-voltage slow wave activity in the EEG that alternate with periods of low-voltage activity are termed Tra ce-alternant. During active or REM sleep, Trace-alternant is absent an d EEG activity is characterized by a variable mixture of frequencies. Results show that an analytic method previously developed in fetal bab oons for identifying EEG segments with and without Trace-alternant suc cessfully distinguishes homologous patterns of EEG activity in preterm infants. This method provides an excellent objective approach for mon itoring changes in EEG patterns that are coincident with behaviorally defined sleep states. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.