Oups). Time-frequency average results (Fig. 3?) reveal a short-term event related desynchronization (ERD), 2? s after the negativeSpindle Power Is Not Affected after Spontaneous KCFigure 4. Average spectrogram (left), event-related spectral perturbation (Madecassoside site middle) and significant changes (right) as in Fig. 3 but for subject 2. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054343.gpeak of the KC. This is obvious and significant on MedChemExpress CP21 groups of KCs accompanied by post-KC spindles (KC01 and KC11) and is similar to a same ERD that follows individual sporadic sleep spindles. This result is also 11967625 seen on evoked KCs in 2/3 subjects of Zygierewicz et al [37] after an event related synchronization at spindle frequency range, however the authors do not present data of evoked KCs not followed by spindles. It seems that this is not an effect of the KC per se. Instead these data suggest a refractory period of spindles independently of KCs and in conjunction with our data on sporadic fast spindles (Fig. 2A and Fig. 5) this finding is rather related to a rhythm of about 0.25?.3 Hz underlying sleep spindle occurrence. The refractoriness of spindles for 3?0 s has been shown in vitro. More than one local spindle oscillations can be independently generated in thalamic slices and their local propagation and the stoppage of spindle propagation at the point of collision both indicate the presence of a refractory period for spindle wave generation and propagation [46]. Thisrefractory period has been attributed to an afterdepolarization of thalamic neurons after their intense hyperpolarization/bursting during spindles. McCormick and Bal [46] more specifically suggest that the spindle refractory period is the time required for the h-current to return to a level that allows another spindle wave to occur. However at the human EEG level additional factors may determine the spindles refractory period, like the degree of global synchronization needed for spindles to be detected on EEG, depending on physical factors related to spindles’ current sources orientation and volume conduction [47]. Furthermore there is ample evidence for a role of corticothalamic input in both the initiation and the termination of spindle oscillations [34]. This cortical input may conceivably be random in light NREM sleep or be periodic following a slow cortical oscillation [48] in the case of spindles arising during slow wave (3d stage of NREM) sleep. Experimental evidence suggests that the spindles instigating cortical excitation of reticular thalamic neurons is most often elicited during the transitionSpindle Power Is Not Affected after Spontaneous KCFigure 5. Grand average of spindle power changes (dark blue line) 6 SD on all KC groups (rows 1?) and individual spindles (5th row) for all subjects. The average change is calculated over the individual spindle frequency band for every subject. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054343.gfrom cortical “down” to cortical “up” state. This may apply to our observations which are made on spontaneous isolated KCs, since human studies have shown that KCs may be isolated down states (Cash et al., 2009). Finally spindles can be induced or modulated locally, but also remotely (hippocampal-frontal dialogue), and vary in density according to sleep pressure and many other factors. A periodic emergence of spindles appears therefore to be the result of an interaction between several cortical and subcortical mechanisms, whose balance may vary in brain space and in sleep time. Spindle per.Oups). Time-frequency average results (Fig. 3?) reveal a short-term event related desynchronization (ERD), 2? s after the negativeSpindle Power Is Not Affected after Spontaneous KCFigure 4. Average spectrogram (left), event-related spectral perturbation (middle) and significant changes (right) as in Fig. 3 but for subject 2. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054343.gpeak of the KC. This is obvious and significant on groups of KCs accompanied by post-KC spindles (KC01 and KC11) and is similar to a same ERD that follows individual sporadic sleep spindles. This result is also 11967625 seen on evoked KCs in 2/3 subjects of Zygierewicz et al [37] after an event related synchronization at spindle frequency range, however the authors do not present data of evoked KCs not followed by spindles. It seems that this is not an effect of the KC per se. Instead these data suggest a refractory period of spindles independently of KCs and in conjunction with our data on sporadic fast spindles (Fig. 2A and Fig. 5) this finding is rather related to a rhythm of about 0.25?.3 Hz underlying sleep spindle occurrence. The refractoriness of spindles for 3?0 s has been shown in vitro. More than one local spindle oscillations can be independently generated in thalamic slices and their local propagation and the stoppage of spindle propagation at the point of collision both indicate the presence of a refractory period for spindle wave generation and propagation [46]. Thisrefractory period has been attributed to an afterdepolarization of thalamic neurons after their intense hyperpolarization/bursting during spindles. McCormick and Bal [46] more specifically suggest that the spindle refractory period is the time required for the h-current to return to a level that allows another spindle wave to occur. However at the human EEG level additional factors may determine the spindles refractory period, like the degree of global synchronization needed for spindles to be detected on EEG, depending on physical factors related to spindles’ current sources orientation and volume conduction [47]. Furthermore there is ample evidence for a role of corticothalamic input in both the initiation and the termination of spindle oscillations [34]. This cortical input may conceivably be random in light NREM sleep or be periodic following a slow cortical oscillation [48] in the case of spindles arising during slow wave (3d stage of NREM) sleep. Experimental evidence suggests that the spindles instigating cortical excitation of reticular thalamic neurons is most often elicited during the transitionSpindle Power Is Not Affected after Spontaneous KCFigure 5. Grand average of spindle power changes (dark blue line) 6 SD on all KC groups (rows 1?) and individual spindles (5th row) for all subjects. The average change is calculated over the individual spindle frequency band for every subject. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054343.gfrom cortical “down” to cortical “up” state. This may apply to our observations which are made on spontaneous isolated KCs, since human studies have shown that KCs may be isolated down states (Cash et al., 2009). Finally spindles can be induced or modulated locally, but also remotely (hippocampal-frontal dialogue), and vary in density according to sleep pressure and many other factors. A periodic emergence of spindles appears therefore to be the result of an interaction between several cortical and subcortical mechanisms, whose balance may vary in brain space and in sleep time. Spindle per.
