Research staff
Dr. S. Olbrich, Dr. C. Sander, K. Wilk, M. Trenner, Ch. Bader, F. Schmidt, PD
Dr. P. Schönknecht, Prof. Dr. U. Hegerl
Background
Psychiatric patients differ from each other regarding their type of vigilance
regulation. Using the electroencephalogram (EEG) distinct EEG-vigilance states
can be differentiated during the transition from active wakefulness to light
sleep. The spontaneous transition between these states can be observed under
resting conditions (with eyes closed). Here, remarkable differences depending on
the diagnosis and illness conditions are found: Within the scope of depressive
episodes often a stabile A-state without a physiological decrease of vigilance
within the first 10 minutes of the measurement can be observed (rigid type of
vigilance regulation). In contrast, patients with manic syndromes often show a
rapid decrease of vigilance, as indicated by a transition to B-states after a
few minutes time and the occurrence of sleep spindles (labile type of vigilance
regulation). The neurobiological mechanisms underlying this disturbance of
vigilance regulation are so far unclear.
Aim
This project will examine the value of a misbalanced EEG-vigilance regulation
as an indicator for different psychiatric diseases.
To achieve this, a differentiation between the physiological interindividual
fluctuations of EEG-vigilance and pathological changes is fundamental.
Therefore, beyond the routine EEGs derived from patients of our clinic, we
intend to investigate a representative sample of healthy control subjects
regarding their EEG-vigilance regulation and to build a data base
accordingly.
To enable later scientific analysis, additional information on
psychopathology, personality and sleeping behaviour will be collected in a
standardized fashion, both, from patients and healthy controls.
Questions
In the present project the following hypotheses will be tested:
- In patients with manic episodes the vigilance regulation is labile as
compared to healthy controls. This lability is characterized by an above-average
fast decrease into B-states of EEG-vigilance.
- In patients with depressive episodes the vigilance regulation is rigid as
compared to healthy controls. This rigidity is characterized by an above-average
long persistence in A-states of EEG-vigilance.
