Regional Cerebral Blood Flow in Man During Different Stages of Wakefulness and Sleep

Experience has now been gained with over 1300 measurements of regional cerebral blood flow in normal volunteers and in patients with neurological disorders using a modification of the 133Xe inhalation method (1). Since the method is noninvasive, causes minimal discomfort and, in our laboratory, is routinely monitored with simultaneous polygraphic recording of electroencephalogram (EEG), submental electromyography (EMG), extra-ocular movement (EOG), blood pressure (BP), pulse, body temperature, respiration and end-tidal pCO2 and pO2, we have had the opportunity of observing changes in regional blood flow during the relaxed, awake state in quiet darkness, during mild anxiety, during activation and during different stages of spontaneous sleep in normal volunteers and in patients with narcolepsy.