Spatiotemporal Analysis of Local Field Potentials and Unit Discharges in Cat Cerebral Cortex during Natural Wake and Sleep States

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.19-11-04595.1999
• Publication Date: 2018-04-04T17:00:59Z
• Authors: Alain Destexhe; Diego Contreras; Mircea Steriade
• Keywords: Local field potential; Sleep

The electroencephalogram displays various oscillation patterns during wake and sleep states, but their spatiotemporal distribution is not completely known. Local field potentials (LFPs) multiunits were recorded simultaneously in the cerebral cortex (areas 5-7) of naturally sleeping awake cats. Slow-wave (SWS) was characterized by oscillations slow (<1 Hz) delta (1-4 frequency range. high-amplitude slow-wave complexes consisted a positivity depth LFP, associated with neuronal silence, followed sharp LFP negativity, correlated an increase firing. This pattern remarkable coherence, because silences increased firing occurred units within 7 mm distance cortex. During rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, single fired tonically, whereas LFPs displayed low-amplitude fast activities power frequencies (15-75 Hz). In contrast widespread synchronization SWS, REM periods synchronized only neighboring electrodes small time windows (100-500 msec). local synchrony apparent irregular manner, both spatially temporally. Brief sec) also present SWS between complexes. these brief periods, spatial temporal as well relation LFPs, identical to that or sleep. These results show natural cats complexes, over large cortical territories, interleaved oscillations, synchrony, characteristics similar sustained activated states.