What type of wave remains unaffected by physiological artifacts like eye movement?

Delta waves are characterized as slow brain waves with a frequency of 0.5 to 4 Hz and are primarily associated with deep sleep and restorative processes in the brain. One key aspect of delta waves is their stability against physiological artifacts, such as those caused by eye movements. When a person is in deep sleep, the brain exhibits delta activity that remains consistent despite the presence of muscle activity or ocular artifacts that may occur during wakefulness.

In contrast, both alpha and beta waves, which occur during relaxed and alert states respectively, can be significantly influenced by eye movements and other activities, leading to potential artifacts in EEG readings. Gamma waves, while important in high-level cognitive processing, are also susceptible to interference from physiological factors.

Therefore, delta waves stand out as the brainwave pattern that is least likely to be affected by these types of physiological artifacts, making them a reliable indicator in EEG readings when assessing sleep states.