IFCN Society of Sleep Neurophysiology and Sleep Science

Ambra Stefani Center for Sleep Medicine Medical University of Innsbruck Innsbruck, Austria

Erik St. Louis Head, Division of Sleep Neurology, Mayo Clinic Dept of Neurology; Professor of Neurology and Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN, USA

Clinical neurophysiology plays an essential role in sleep physiology and sleep medicine in general, and neurologic sleep medicine in particular. Polysomnography, the basis for assessment of human sleep and most sleep disorders, includes (among others) electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), and electrooculography (EOG) signals, which are routinely analysed for sleep staging and diagnosis of different sleep disorders.

Neurophysiology of sleep is a fascinating and rapidly evolving field, not only for what concerns the diagnosis and management of sleep disorders but also to improve knowledge about physiological sleep, its manifold roles and processes in normal brain functioning, and its changes with physiological development and aging, as well as in pathological conditions such as psychiatric disorders, epilepsy, and neurodegeneration. Automatic methods to identify changes in EEG and EMG, and artificial intelligence-based techniques, are increasingly used to improve signal analysis and usefulness of information derived from neurophysiological assessment during sleep.

This Special Interest Group is focused on the neurophysiology of sleep and sleep disorders, focusing in particular on EEG and EMG signals, separately as well as in combination, or combined with other physiological signals during sleep (e.g. heart rate, respiration).

EEG, EMG, and EOG signals comprise the cornerstone and “gold standard” of sleep assessment. EEG is essential for sleep staging, and EMG and EOG signals are needed for staging of REM sleep, as well as for detection of muscle activity during sleep like leg movements and periodic leg movements (typical of restless legs syndrome), excessive muscle activity during REM sleep (i.e. REM sleep without atonia, characterizing REM sleep behaviour disorder and essential for its diagnosis), and rhythmic movement disorders. Sleep states detected by these signals also are objective markers for key sleep processes and purposes, e.g. synaptic consolidation and central nervous system metabolite clearance.

The purposes of this SIG will be:

• To disseminate information about sleep science and neurological sleep disorders, and to establish a network for interested members among all IFCN Chapters and Societies.
• To increase awareness about sleep science and sleep disorders, and promote the practice of sleep neurology, with the aim of increasing accessibility to sleep centers with subspecialty sleep neurology expertise worldwide.
• To promote standardized use of neurophysiological techniques for diagnosis and management of neurologic sleep disorders.
• To promote international clinical and research collaboration among centers.
• To provide technical, theoretical and practical support for clinical neurophysiologists interested in sleep medicine through courses and workshops.
• To further improve neurophysiological assessment of sleep and sleep disorders, through classical and novel methodologies leveraging the knowledge and expertise gained from international collaboration among interdisciplinary (i.e., clinicians, neuroscientists, biomedical engineers) IFCN members in this SIG.

Contact information, To apply for membership:

Ambra Stefani, MD, PHD : ambra.stefani@i-med.ac.at
Erik St. Louis, M.D.,M.S.  : StLouis.Erik@mayo.edu
SIG Meetings will be held online every 2-3 months.