Aging induced cortical drive alterations during sleep in rats.

We followed the impact of healthy aging on cortical drive during sleep in rats by using the corticomuscular coherence (CMC). We employed the chronic electrodes implantation for sleep recording in adult, male Wistar rats, and followed the aging impact during sleep from 3 to 5.5 months age. We have analyzed the sleep/wake states architecture, and the sleep/wake state related EEG microstructure and CMCs. We evidenced the topographically distinct impact of aging on sleep/wake states architecture within the sensorimotor (SMCx) vs. motor cortex (MCx) from 4.5 to 5.5 months age. Healthy aging consistently altered only the SMCx sleep/wake states architecture, and increased the delta and beta CMCs through both cortical drives during Wake, but only through the MCx drive during REM. According to the delta and beta CMCs values, aging impact through the SMCx drive was opposite, but it was convergent through the MCx drive during Wake vs. REM, and there was a dual and inverse mode for the motor control during REM.