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Sleep and Breathing
Published in: Sleep and Breathing 1/2020

01-03-2020 | Hypersomnia | Sleep Breathing Physiology and Disorders • Review

The neurophysiological basis of excessive daytime sleepiness: suggestions of an altered state of consciousness

Authors: P. K. Hitchcott, D. Menicucci, S. Frumento, A. Zaccaro, A. Gemignani

Published in: Sleep and Breathing | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is characterized by difficulty staying awake during daytime, though additional features may be present. EDS is a significant problem for clinical and non-clinical populations, being associated with a range of negative outcomes that also represent a burden for society. Extreme EDS is associated with sleep disorders, most notably the central hypersomnias such as narcolepsy, Kleine-Levin syndrome, and idiopathic hypersomnia (IH). Although investigation of these conditions indicates that EDS results from diminished sleep quality, the underlying cause for this impairment remains uncertain. One possibility could be that previous research has been too narrow in scope with insufficient attention paid to non-sleep-related aspects. Here, we offer a broader perspective in which findings concerning the impact of EDS on cortical functioning are interpreted in relation to current understanding about the neural basis of consciousness. Alterations in the spatial distribution of cortical activity, in particular reduced connectivity of frontal cortex, suggest that EDS is associated with an altered state of consciousness.
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Metadata
Title
The neurophysiological basis of excessive daytime sleepiness: suggestions of an altered state of consciousness
Authors
P. K. Hitchcott
D. Menicucci
S. Frumento
A. Zaccaro
A. Gemignani
Publication date
01-03-2020
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Sleep and Breathing / Issue 1/2020
Print ISSN: 1520-9512
Electronic ISSN: 1522-1709
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-019-01865-9

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