El estudio poligrafico del sueno.Parte I.

This is a review of the literature in the area of poligraphic studies of sleep including modern theories on the physiological mechanisms underlyning the various sleep disorders. The simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram, electromyogram, electrocardiogram, and ocular and respiratory movements has significantly improved the research and understanding of human sleep physiology. With this technique it has been possible to identify two sleep patterns: non-REM (slow wave, quite and synchronized sleep) and REM (rapid wave active and no synchronized sleep) and to describe the physiological characteristics of each one of them. The article is illustrated with cases studied in the laboratory of electroencephalography at the San Ignacio's Hospital, Bogota