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Research Article| Volume 28, ISSUE 8, P673-684, October 15, 1990

Sleep, gender, and depression: An analysis of gender effects on the electroencephalographic sleep of 302 depressed outpatients

  • Charles F. Reynolds III
    Correspondence
    Address reprint requests to Dr. C.F. Reynolds III, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
    Affiliations
    From the Sleep and Biological Rhythms Research Laboratory, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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  • David J. Kupfer
    Affiliations
    From the Sleep and Biological Rhythms Research Laboratory, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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  • Michael E. Thase
    Affiliations
    From the Sleep and Biological Rhythms Research Laboratory, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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  • Ellen Frank
    Affiliations
    From the Sleep and Biological Rhythms Research Laboratory, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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  • David B. Jarrett
    Affiliations
    From the Sleep and Biological Rhythms Research Laboratory, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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  • Patricia A. Coble
    Affiliations
    From the Sleep and Biological Rhythms Research Laboratory, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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  • Carolyn C. Hoch
    Affiliations
    From the Sleep and Biological Rhythms Research Laboratory, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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  • Daniel J. Buysse
    Affiliations
    From the Sleep and Biological Rhythms Research Laboratory, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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  • Anne D. Simons
    Affiliations
    From the Sleep and Biological Rhythms Research Laboratory, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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  • Patricia R. Houck
    Affiliations
    From the Sleep and Biological Rhythms Research Laboratory, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-3223(90)90454-A
Sleep, gender, and depression: An analysis of gender effects on the electroencephalographic sleep of 302 depressed outpatients
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      Abstract

      Gender-related differences in electroencephalographic (EEG) sleep were examined in 151 pairs of men and women with major depression, all outpatients, matched for age and severity of depression. Across five decades (age 21–69), depressed men had less slow-wave sleep than did depressed women. Gender differences were small with respect to visually scored measures of slow-wave sleep time and percent, but moderate for gender differences in automated measures of slow-wave density. The time constant of the polygraph prramplifier significantly affected both visually scored and automatically scored slow-wave sleep. Other measures, such as REM sleep latency, first REM period duration, sleep efficiency, and early morning awakening, showed robust age effects, but no main effects for gender or gender-by-age interactions. Gender effects on slow-wave sleep and delta-wave counts in depression parallel gender effects seen in healthy aging. The possibility of occult alcohol use by depressed male outpatients cannot be definitely excluded as a partial explanation of the current findings. However, covarying for past alcohol abuse did not negate the statistical significance of the observed gender effects on slow-wave sleep and delta-wave density. The possibility of gender differences in slow-wave regulatory mechanisms is suggested, but similarity in temporal distribution of delta-wave density between the first and second non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) periods does not support gender differences in slow-wave sleep regulation.
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      Article info

      Publication history

      Received in revised form: April 4, 1990
      Received: January 17, 1990

      Identification

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-3223(90)90454-A

      Copyright

      © 1990 Published by Elsevier Inc.

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