sleep regulation; sleep homeostasis; computational modeling; spectral analysis; functional connectivity; trait-like features; individual variation; children; maturation; intra-cerebral recording; adolescents; adolescents maturation
McClain Ian J, Lustenberger Caroline, Achermann Peter, Lassonde Jonathan M, Kurth Salome, LeBourgeois Monique K (2016), Developmental Changes in Sleep Spindle Characteristics and Sigma Power across Early Childhood., in
Neural plasticity, 2016, 3670951-3670951.
Kurth Salome, Dean Douglas C, Achermann Peter, O'Muircheartaigh Jonathan, Huber Reto, Deoni Sean C L, LeBourgeois Monique K (2016), Increased Sleep Depth in Developing Neural Networks: New Insights from Sleep Restriction in Children., in
Frontiers in human neuroscience, 10, 456-456.
Lassonde Jonathan M, Rusterholz Thomas, Kurth Salome, Schumacher Allyson M, Achermann Peter, LeBourgeois Monique K (2016), Sleep Physiology in Toddlers: Effects of Missing a Nap on Subsequent Night Sleep., in
Neurobiology of sleep and circadian rhythms, 1(1), 19-26.
Tarokh Leila, Rusterholz Thomas, Achermann Peter, Van Dongen Hans P A (2015), The spectrum of the non-rapid eye movement sleep electroencephalogram following total sleep deprivation is trait-like., in
Journal of sleep research, 24(4), 360-3.
Tarokh Leila, Carskadon Mary A, Achermann Peter (2014), Early adolescent cognitive gains are marked by increased sleep EEG coherence., in
PloS one, 9(9), 106847-106847.
Olbrich Eckehard, Landolt Hans Peter, Achermann Peter (2014), Effect of prolonged wakefulness on electroencephalographic oscillatory activity during sleep., in
Journal of sleep research, 23, 253-260.
Achermann Peter, Tarokh Leila, Peigneux Philippe (2014), Research design and quantitative methods, in Bassetti Claudio (ed.), European Sleep Research Society, Regensburg, 517-527.
Bersagliere A, Raduazzo I D, Schiff S, Gatta A, Merkel C, Amodio P, Achermann P, Montagnese S (2013), Ammonia-related changes in cerebral electrogenesis in healthy subjects and patients with cirrhosis., in
Clinicalneurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiolo, 124(3), 492-6.
Kurth Salome, Achermann Peter, Rusterholz Thomas, Lebourgeois Monique K (2013), Development of Brain EEG Connectivity across Early Childhood: Does Sleep Play a Role?, in
Brain sciences, 3(4), 1445-1460.
Meisel Christian, Olbrich Eckehard, Shriki Oren, Achermann Peter (2013), Fading signatures of critical brain dynamics during sustained wakefulness in humans., in
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 33(44), 17363-72.
Benz Dominik C, Tarokh Leila, Achermann Peter, Loughran Sarah P (2013), Regional differences in trait-like characteristics of the waking EEG in early adolescence., in
BMC neuroscience, 14, 117-117.
Tarokh L, Achermann P (2013), Sleep homeostasis, in Kushida C (ed.), Academic Press, Waltham, MA, USA, 413-417.
Bersagliere Alessia, Achermann Peter, Lo Russo Giorgo, Proserpio Paola, Nobili Lino (2013), Spindle frequency activity might provide lateralizing information in drug-resistant nocturnal mesial frontal lobe epilepsy: a pilot study on the contribution of sleep recordings., in
Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy, 22, 719-725.
Tarokh L, Carskadon M A, Achermann P (2012), Dissipation of sleep pressure is stable across adolescence., in
Neuroscience, 216, 167-177.
Bersagliere Alessia, Raduazzo Iolanda D, Nardi Mariateresa, Schiff Sami, Gatta Angelo, Amodio Piero, Achermann Peter, Montagnese Sara (2012), Induced hyperammonemia may compromise the ability to generate restful sleep in patients with cirrhosis., in
Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.), 55(3), 869-78.
Geiger Anja, Huber Reto, Kurth Salomé, Ringli Maya, Achermann Peter, Jenni Oskar G (2012), Sleep electroencephalography topography and children's intellectual ability., in
Neuroreport, 23(2), 93-7.
Achermann P, Borbély AA (2011), Sleep homeostasis and models of sleep regulation, in Kryger M (ed.), Elsevier Saunders, Missouri, 431-444.
Wennekers Thomas (ed.) (2011),
The complexity of sleep, Royal Society Publishing, London.
Olbrich Eckehard, Claussen Jens Christian, Achermann Peter (2011), The multiple time scales of sleep dynamics as a challenge for modelling the sleeping brain., in
Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences, 369(1952), 3884-901.
Geiger Anja, Huber Reto, Kurth Salomé, Ringli Maya, Jenni Oskar G, Achermann Peter (2011), The sleep EEG as a marker of intellectual ability in school age children., in
Sleep, 34(2), 181-9.
Olbrich Eckehard, Achermann Peter, Wennekers Thomas (2011), The sleeping brain as a complex system., in
Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences, 369(1952), 3697-707.
Rusterholz Thomas, Achermann Peter (2011), Topographical aspects in the dynamics of sleep homeostasis in young men: individual patterns., in
BMC Neuroscience, 12, 84-84.
Tarokh Leila, Carskadon Mary A, Achermann Peter (2011), Trait-like characteristics of the sleep EEG across adolescent development., in
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 31(17), 6371-8.
Tarokh L, Carskadon M A, Achermann P (2010), Developmental changes in brain connectivity assessed using the sleep EEG., in
Neuroscience, 171(2), 622-34.
Geiger Anja, Achermann Peter, Jenni Oskar G (2010), Sleep, intelligence and cognition in a developmental context: differentiation between traits and state-dependent aspects., in
Progress in brain research, 185, 167-79.
Rusterholz Thomas, Tharok Leila, Van Dongen Hans P. A., Achermann Peter, Inter-individual differences in the dynamics of the homeostatic process are trait-like and distinct for sleep versus wakefulness, in
Journal of Sleep Research.
Sleep is crucial for day-time functioning and well-being. However, its purpose and biological function are not yet well understood. Research in humans is important to promote our understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying sleep regulation. Novel sophisticated EEG analyses have become essential for gaining new insights into this process.Our efforts center on the mechanisms underlying inter-individual differences in sleep regulation based on data collected mainly in healthy subjects. Our systematic approach encompasses the combination of detailed EEG analyses and computational modeling. Since individual variability in sleep variables is considerable, it is important to elucidate whether individual differences are of functional relevance or should be considered merely as “noise” inherent in biological data. Investigating inter-individual differences and intra-individual stability (assessed based on multiple recordings within subjects) provides a powerful approach to address basic questions of sleep regulation. Our findings will be of great relevance to sleep medicine. Inter-individual variation in the response to sleep deprivation is considerable. In order to investigate the stability/variation of responses to repeated sleep deprivation within individuals, we will analyze EEG recordings of healthy young adults who underwent a protocol encompassing three periods of sleep deprivation. The focus will be on spectral analysis of the EEG with the aim of identifying those frequencies which show the strongest variation between individuals.Currently very little is known about sleep regulation processes in children. We recently we showed for the first time that extended wakefulness in preschool children leads to significant changes in EEG power spectra. In order to assess ontogenetic aspects of sleep, we will investigate longitudinal developmental aspects of sleep regulation and spectral EEG features in preschool children and during adolescent development. Because we study the aforementioned phenomena longitudinally, we will be able to assess whether trait-like features are preserved despite neuro-developmental changes that occur during these periods.Consciousness is strikingly reduced during sleep, in particular during slow wave sleep. This may be related to changes in functional connectivity occurring during sleep, reflecting alterations in information exchange between brain areas. Functional connectivity between brain areas during sleep and changes occurring after sleep deprivation will be investigated in EEG data recorded with 27 derivations based on source localization (LORETA) techniques. As we observed individual “fingerprints” in the topographic distribution of EEG power during sleep, we expect trait-like aspects also to be present in connectivity patterns. The analysis will be complemented by intra-cerebral recordings collected in epileptic patients undergoing pre-surgical evaluation of drug-resistant focal epilepsy. These recordings provide a unique opportunity to address neuronal aspects of individual variability, sleep and connectivity in humans.In summary, we expect the results to provide a basis for future studies at the cellular, molecular and genetic level, thereby contributing significantly to an integrative approach in sleep research.