Modulation of the ultradian human nasal cycle by sleep stage and body position

Richard E. Frye; Deborah F. Rosin; Adrian R. Morrison; Fidias E. Leon-Sarmiento; Richard L. Doty

doi:10.1590/0004-282X20160178

Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria, Table of Contents

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2017; 75(01): 9-14
DOI: 10.1590/0004-282X20160178

Article

Modulation of the ultradian human nasal cycle by sleep stage and body position

Modulação do ciclo nasal humano ultradiano pelo estágio do sono e a posição corporal

Authors

Richard E. Frye

¹University of Pennsylvania, Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Philadelphia, PA, USA

²University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, Little Rock, AR, USA
Deborah F. Rosin

³John F. Kennedy Medical Center Section of ENT, Department of Surgery, Edison, NJ, USA
Adrian R. Morrison

⁴University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Biology, Philadelphia, PA USA
Fidias E. Leon-Sarmiento

¹University of Pennsylvania, Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Philadelphia, PA, USA

⁵Unicolciencias/Universidad Nacional, Mediciencias Research Group, Bogota, Colombia
Richard L. Doty

¹University of Pennsylvania, Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Objective:

The nasal cycle, which is present in a significant number of people, is an ultradian side-to-side rhythm of nasal engorgement associated with cyclic autonomic activity. We studied the nasal cycle during REM/non-REM sleep stages and examined the potentially confounding influence of body position on lateralized nasal airflow.

Methods:

Left- and right-side nasal airflow was measured in six subjects during an eight-hour sleep period using nasal thermistors. Polysomnography was performed. Simultaneously, body positions were monitored using a video camera in conjunction with infrared lighting.

Results:

Significantly greater airflow occurred through the right nasal chamber (relative to the left) during periods of REM sleep than during periods of non-REM sleep (p<0.001). Both body position (p < 0.001) and sleep stage (p < 0.001) influenced nasal airflow lateralization.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrates that the lateralization of nasal airflow and sleep stage are related. Some types of asymmetrical somatosensory stimulation can alter this relationship.

RESUMO

Objetivo:

O ciclo nasal é um ritmo ultradiano de lado a lado de ingurgitamento associado com o ciclo da atividade autçnoma. O objetivo deste estudo foi abordar a questão assim como a relação presente entre o ciclo nasal e os estágios de sono REM/não-REM. Também analisamos a confusão potencial da influência da posição corporal no fluxo de ar nasal.

Métodos:

Mensuramos o ciclo nasal em seis sujeitos durante um sono de oito horas usando um termistor nasal. Foi realizada uma polissonografia. Simultaneamente, nós monitoramos a posição corporal usando uma câmera de vídeo juntamente com luzes infravermelhas.

Resultados:

Um fluxo de ar maior ocorreu através da cavidade nasal direita durante as fases de sono REM do que nos períodos de sono não-REM (p < 0,001). Assim como a posição corporal [F(2.2340) = 86,99, p < 0,001] e o estágio de sono [F(1.2340) = 234.82, p < 0,001] influenciaram a lateralização do fluxo de ar nasal.

Conclusões:

Este estudo evidencia que a lateralização do fluxo de ar nasal e o estágio do sono estão relacionados. Alguns tipos de estimulação somatosensitiva assimétrica podem alterar esta relação.

Keywords:

respiratory physiological phenomena - sleep - sleep, REM - activity cicles

Palavras-chave:

fençmenos fisiológicos respiratórios - sono - sono REM - ciclos de atividade

Full Text

References

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