Activation of the brainstem precedes and outlasts the K-complex in humans

▶Brainstem auditory evoked potentials were evaluated around K-complex. ▶Two types of brainstem activation are found around K-complex. ▶Transient activation of the ventral brainstem precedes the K-complex. ▶Sustained activation of the dorsal brainstem outlasts the K-complex. ▶Brainstem triggers K-complex and sustains upregulation in the cortex. 66