All-Night Brain Imaging Sleep Study Using fMRI and EEG with Sound Stimuli in Healthy Adults Ages 18 to 34

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying brain activity during sleep by combining functional magnetic resonance imaging fMRI and electroencephalogram EEG techniques. The study focuses on healthy young adults aged 18 to 34 who can sleep on their back for several hours. The goal is to better understand sleep behavior by linking brain activity patterns with auditory arousal thresholds, which indicate how loud a sound must be to wake someone up. Participants will undergo a home-monitoring period with a consistent sleep schedule before attending two overnight visits for fMRI and EEG recordings. During these visits, sounds of increasing intensity will be played intermittently to measure the auditory arousal threshold, while brain activity and connectivity are recorded. The study includes an adaptation night and a main study night separated by a washout week. Throughout the study, participants will complete physical and hearing exams and be monitored with an actigraph wrist device to track movement. They will follow a controlled routine limiting alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine intake for two weeks. Researchers will analyze brain activity and functional connectivity preceding sounds that wake participants, capturing detailed information about sleep depth and brain responses. The total study duration includes home monitoring and two overnight imaging sessions.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Sleep Study With Auditory Stimuli