A recent publication in Frontiers in Neurology delves into the Odds Ratio Product (ORP), a continuous metric of sleep depth, and its potential implications for clinical practice.

Sleep has traditionally been analyzed in discrete stages assigned every 30 seconds based on visual feature detection. However, the Odds Ratio Product (ORP) measures wake/sleep state on a continuous scale leveraging the entirety of the electroencephalographic (EEG) signals. 

ORP reflects the dynamic nature of sleep, making it possible to distinguish different levels of sleep depth within the same conventional sleep stage, as well as measure brief dynamic changes in sleep depth that cannot be obtained from the conventional staging approach, according to a release from Cerebra.

The comprehensive analysis ORP provides is a “major advance” in the ability to better manage sleep disorders, notes Magdy Younes, MD, PhD, inventor of the ORP methodology and author of the recently published article that describes how ORP is measured, its validation, and differences from delta power in the ability to measure sleep depth.

“ORP is novel as it directly translates EEG measurement of brain activity to a continuous metric of sleep depth, assessing spectral power in each frequency band relative to each other. This provides a comprehensive view of the EEG in a metric that easily transfers to clinical practice, improving the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders,” says Veronica Guadagni, PhD, director of sleep science for Cerebra, in a release.

Younes, distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Manitoba, says in a release, “Through the use of ORP we have identified different phenotypes among patients with sleep apnea, insomnia, and excessive sleep need (idiopathic hypersomnia). These different phenotypes may respond differently to the treatments currently offered for these disorders. Such differential responses to therapy now await confirmation through appropriate research projects, examples of which have been proposed/detailed in the Frontiers of Neurology article.” 

Research continues to further the application of ORP into clinical practice. Cerebra is supporting this work by providing open access to ORP for sleep researchers with qualifying research proposals to advance the adoption of ORP into clinical practice. ORP is also available for clinical use in the Cerebra MY Sleep Scoring sleep diagnostic software. Any practitioner with unique or difficult patients who could benefit from a greater evaluation of sleep quality through the lens of ORP is encouraged to reach out to Cerebra.