Amplitude modulation in the sigma band of sleep EEG in elderly subjects

It has been shown that the study of the amplitude modulation of the sigma band activity (12.5-14.5 Hz, i.e. the frequency range of the so-called spindles) of sleep EEG is useful in order to discriminate between REM and NREM sleep in young and adult subjects. The aim of the present study is to test some parameters connected to the sigma band amplitude modulation under a different physiological condition, i.e. sleep in elderly subjects, which causes not few difficulties and problems in conventional EEG analysis. Our investigation attempts to present a quantitative method for EEG analysis which can be used for sleep in both young and elderly subjects.