TECH Signal 507
Brain shifts sensory processing from external sounds to internal cardiac signals during REM sleep
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An EEG study of 25 volunteers found that as the brain transitions from wakefulness to REM sleep, it progressively reduces processing of external auditory stimuli while preserving or enhancing processing of internal heartbeat signals.
The proposed "audio-cardio index" could eventually serve as a biomarker for assessing altered states of consciousness in non-communicative patients, such as those in coma or minimally conscious states. For neurotech and brain-computer interface developers, this internal-signal prioritization during sleep is a constraint on any system relying on external sensory input during REM phases.
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EEG recordings from 25 volunteers across two nights showed neural response to external sounds weakens progressively from wakefulness through tonic REM to phasic REM sleep.
Processing of cardiac signals strengthens as auditory processing declines, indicating a reallocation rather than a global suppression of sensory processing.
The researchers propose an "audio-cardio index" as a potential marker for assessing altered states of consciousness in non-communicative patients.
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