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The electroencephalographic fingerprint of sleep is genetically determined: A twin study
Author(s) -
De Gennaro Luigi,
Marzano Cristina,
Fratello Fabiana,
Moroni Fabio,
Pellicciari Maria Concetta,
Ferlazzo Fabio,
Costa Stefania,
Couyoumdjian Alessandro,
Curcio Giuseppe,
Sforza Emilia,
Malafosse Alain,
Finelli Luca A.,
Pasqualetti Patrizio,
Ferrara Michele,
Bertini Mario,
Rossini Paolo Maria
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.21434
Subject(s) - dizygotic twins , wakefulness , electroencephalography , heritability , sleep (system call) , audiology , psychology , dizygotic twin , twin study , developmental psychology , neuroscience , biology , medicine , genetics , obstetrics , computer science , operating system
Abstract Humans have an individual profile of the electroencephalographic power spectra at the 8 to 16Hz frequency during non–rapid eye movement sleep that is stable over time and resistant to experimental perturbations. We tested the hypothesis that this electroencephalographic “fingerprint” is genetically determined, by recording 40 monozygotic and dizygotic twins during baseline and recovery sleep after prolonged wakefulness. We show a largely greater similarity within monozygotic than dizygotic pairs, resulting in a heritability estimate of 96%, not influenced by sleep need and intensity. If replicated, these results will establish the electroencephalographic profile during sleep as one of the most heritable traits of humans. Ann Neurol 2008