A SEARCH FOR CHANGES IN DIRECT-CURRENT POTENTIALS OF THE HEAD DURING SLEEP

Abstract

Two methods of measuring D.C. potentials from the human subject are described, one a push-pull vacuum-tube millivoltmeter, the other an adaptation of the usual type of capacity-coupled ink-writing oscillo-groph. The second method is based upon mechanical interruption of the input potential. The sensitivity of both methods is about 0.05 mV. Convenient electrodes of the Zn-ZnSO4 and also Cu-CuSO4 types are described. No correlation could be detected between the stage of sleep and the D.C. potential-differences or changes in D.C. potential observed between chest and head, scalp and mastoid region, frontal and occipital regions, or right and left sides of the head.