Binocular Depth Perception Following REM Deprivation or Awake State Visual Deprivation.

Based upon the demonstration by Wallach and Karsh (1963) that stereoacuity is easily disruptable in the awake state, we postulated that central visual excitation, which is a feature of rapid eye movement sleep, operates to prevent deterioration of depth perception capacity nightly during sleep. Three awake state and four REM sleep conditions, each consisting of an 8-hr period, were tested as follows: Awake: 1) baseline testing, 2) monocular patching, 3) binocular patching; Sleeping: 4) REM sleep deprivation, 5) NREM control (Stage 2 awakenings), 6) eye movement control (Condition 4 with substitution of awake eye movements), 7) uninterrupted sleep. A new device was developed and is described which measures stereoacuity as free as possible from other binocular or monocular cues in an actual depth situation. We replicated Wallach and Karsh's (1963) finding of awake state disruption of stereopsis following monocular patching. However, our results indicate that REM sleep deprivation by awakenings is not detrimental to binocular depth perception the next morning. In a second experiment, we found that binocular depth perception at the end of REM periods is not significantly different from depth perception at the beginning of REM periods. We have concluded that REM sleep does not have the function of enhancement of stereoacuity processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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