A simple method for computer quantification of stage REM eye movement potentials

We describe a simple method for computer quantification of eye movement (EM ) potentials during REM sleep. This method can be applied by investigators using either period-amplitude (PA) or Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) spectral EEG analysis without special hardware or computer programming. It provides good correlations with visual ratings of EM in baseline sleep and after ad ministration of GABAergic hypnotics. We present baseline data for both PA a nd FFT measures for 16 normal subjects. studied for 5 consecutive nights. B oth visually rated and computer-measured EM density (EMD) showed high night -to-night correlations across baseline and drug nights and the computer mea sures detected the EMD suppression that is produced by GABAergic drugs. Mea surement of EM in addition to stage REM provides biologically significant i nformation and application of this simple computer method. which does not r equire pattern recognition algorithms or special hardware. could provide re liable data that can be compared across laboratories.