Reduced Regional Grey Matter Volumes in Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Cortical grey matter changes, behavior and cognition in children with sleep disordered breathing

This paper investigated cortical thickness and volumetric changes in children to better understand the impact of obstructive sleep disordered breathing (SDB) on the neurodevelopment of specific regions of the brain. We also aimed to investigate how these changes were related to the behavioral and cognitive deficits observed in the condition. Neuroimaging, behavioral, and sleep data were obtained from 30 children (15 non-snoring controls, 15 referred for assessment of SDB) aged 7 to 17 years. Gyral-based regions of interest were identified using the Desikan-Killiany atlas. Student's t-tests were used to compare regions of interest between the controls and SDB groups. We found that the cortical thickness was significantly greater in the right caudal anterior cingulate and right cuneus regions and there were volumetric increases in the left caudal middle frontal, bilateral rostral anterior cingulate, left, right, and bilateral caudate brain regions in children with SDB compared with controls. Neither cortical thickness nor volumetric changes were associated with behavioral or cognitive measures. The findings of this study indicate disruptions to neural developmental processes occurring in structural regions of the brain; however, these changes appear unrelated to behavioural or cognitive outcomes.

Acetylome analyses provide novel insights into the effects of chronic intermittent hypoxia on hippocampus-dependent cognitive impairment

Introduction

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) can negatively affect hippocampal function through various molecular mechanisms. Protein acetylation, a frequently occurring modification, plays crucial roles in synaptic plasticity and cognitive processes. However, the global protein acetylation induced by CIH in the hippocampus and its specific effects on hippocampal function and behavior remain poorly understood.

Methods

To address this gap, we conducted a study using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to analyze the lysine acetylome and proteome of the hippocampus in healthy adult mice exposed to intermittent hypoxia for 4 weeks (as a CIH model) compared to normoxic mice (as a control).

Results

We identified and quantified a total of 2,184 lysine acetylation sites in 1,007 proteins. Analysis of these acetylated proteins revealed disturbances primarily in oxidative phosphorylation, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and glycolysis, all of which are localized exclusively to mitochondria. Additionally, we observed significant changes in the abundance of 21 proteins, some of which are known to be associated with cognitive impairments.

Discussion

This study helps to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying CIH-induced changes in protein acetylation in the hippocampus. By providing valuable insights into the pathophysiological processes associated with CIH and their impacts on hippocampal function, our findings contribute to a better understanding of the consequences of CIH-induced changes in protein acetylation in the hippocampus and the potential role of CIH in cognitive impairment.

Resting-State Cerebral Hemodynamics is Associated With Problem Behaviors in Pediatric Sleep-Disordered Breathing

OBJECTIVE

Untreated sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with problem behaviors in children. The neurological basis for this relationship is unknown. We used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to assess the relationship between cerebral hemodynamics of the frontal lobe of the brain and problem behaviors in children with SDB.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional.

SETTING

Urban tertiary care academic children's hospital and affiliated sleep center.

METHODS

We enrolled children with SDB aged 5 to 16 years old referred for polysomnography. We measured fNIRS-derived cerebral hemodynamics within the frontal lobe during polysomnography. We assessed parent-reported problem behaviors using the Behavioral Response Inventory of Executive Function Second Edition (BRIEF-2). We compared the relationships between (i) the instability in cerebral perfusion in the frontal lobe measured fNIRS, (ii) SDB severity using apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), and (iii) BRIEF-2 clinical scales using Pearson correlation (r). A p < .05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

A total of 54 children were included. The average age was 7.8 (95% confidence interval, 7.0-8.7) years; 26 (48%) were boys and 25 (46%) were Black. The mean AHI was 9.9 (5.7-14.1). There is a statistically significant inverse relationship between the coefficient of variation of perfusion in the frontal lobe and BRIEF-2 clinical scales (range of r = 0.24-0.49, range of p = .076 to <.001). The correlations between AHI and BRIEF-2 scales were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

These results provide preliminary evidence for fNIRS as a child-friendly biomarker for the assessment of adverse outcomes of SDB.

Associations between body mass index, sleep-disordered breathing, brain structure, and behavior in healthy children

Pediatric overweight/obesity can lead to sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), abnormal neurological and cognitive development, and psychiatric problems, but the associations and interactions between these factors have not been fully explored. Therefore, we investigated the associations between body mass index (BMI), SDB, psychiatric and cognitive measures, and brain morphometry in 8484 children 9-11 years old using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development dataset. BMI was positively associated with SDB, and both were negatively correlated with cortical thickness in lingual gyrus and lateral orbitofrontal cortex, and cortical volumes in postcentral gyrus, precentral gyrus, precuneus, superior parietal lobule, and insula. Mediation analysis showed that SDB partially mediated the effect of overweight/obesity on these brain regions. Dimensional psychopathology (including aggressive behavior and externalizing problem) and cognitive function were correlated with BMI and SDB. SDB and cortical volumes in precentral gyrus and insula mediated the correlations between BMI and externalizing problem and matrix reasoning ability. Comparisons by sex showed that obesity and SDB had a greater impact on brain measures, cognitive function, and mental health in girls than in boys. These findings suggest that preventing childhood obesity will help decrease SDB symptom burden, abnormal neurological and cognitive development, and psychiatric problems.

Associations of actigraphy measures of sleep duration and continuity with executive function, vigilance, and fine motor control in children with snoring and mild sleep-disordered breathing

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Children with snoring and mild sleep-disordered breathing may be at increased risk for neurocognitive deficits despite few obstructive events. We hypothesized that actigraphy-based sleep duration and continuity associate with neurobehavioral functioning and explored whether these associations vary by demographic and socioeconomic factors.

METHODS

298 children enrolled in the Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy Trial, ages 3 to 12.9 years, 47.3% from racial or ethnic minority groups, with habitual snoring and an apnea-hypopnea index < 3 were studied with actigraphy (mean 7.5 ± 1.4 days) and completed a computerized vigilance task (Go-No-Go) and a test of fine motor control (9-Hole Pegboard). Caregivers completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function. Regression analyses evaluated associations between sleep exposures (24-hour and nocturnal sleep duration, sleep fragmentation index, sleep efficiency) with the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function Global Executive Composite index, pegboard completion time (fine motor control), and vigilance (d prime on the Go-No-Go), adjusting for demographic factors and study design measures.

RESULTS

Longer sleep duration, higher sleep efficiency, and lower sleep fragmentation were associated with better executive function; each additional hour of sleep over 24 hours associated with more than a 3-point improvement in executive function (P = .002). Longer nocturnal sleep (P = .02) and less sleep fragmentation (P = .001) were associated with better fine motor control. Stronger associations were observed for boys and children less than 6 years old.

CONCLUSIONS

Sleep quantity and continuity are associated with neurocognitive functioning in children with mild sleep-disordered breathing, supporting efforts to target these sleep health parameters as part of interventions for reducing neurobehavioral morbidity.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Name: Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy for Snoring (PATS); URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02562040; Identifier: NCT02562040.

CITATION

Robinson KA, Wei Z, Radcliffe J, et al. Associations of actigraphy measures of sleep duration and continuity with executive function, vigilance, and fine motor control in children with snoring and mild sleep-disordered breathing. J Clin Sleep Med. 2023;19(9):1595-1603.

Alterations of brain gray matter volume in children with obstructive sleep apnea

Objective

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) seriously affects the children's cognitive functions, but the neuroimaging mechanism of cognitive impairment is still unclear. The purpose of our study was to explore the difference in brain local gray matter volume (GMV) between children with OSA and non-OSA, and the correlation between the difference regions of brain gray matter volume and cognitive, the severity of OSA.

Method

Eighty-three children aged 8-13 years were recruited in our study, 52 children were diagnosed as OSA by polysomnography, and 31 as the non-OSA. All the subjects were underwent high-resolution 3-dimensional T1-weighted magnetic resonance images. The voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was be used to analyse the local GMV. The Das-Naglieri cognitive assessment system (DN: CAS) was used to assess the subjects' cognitive. The difference of local GMV between the two groups was analyzed by two-sample T-test. The PSG variables and the scores of DN: CAS between the OSA group and non-OSA group were compared by independent samples t-tests. Pearson correlation was used to calculate the association between the difference areas of gray matter volumes in brain and DN: CAS scores, obstructive apnea/hypopnea index (OAHI, an index of the severity of OSA).

Results

The gray matter volume of the right Middle Frontal Gyrus (MFG_R) in OSA children were larger than the non-OSA children, and the OSA children had lower scores of the Word Series in DN: CAS. There was negative correlation between the scores of Expressive Attention in DN: CAS and the gray matter volume of the right middle frontal gyrus, and it was no significantly correlation between OAHI and the gray matter volume of the right middle frontal gyrus.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that the development of gray matter volume in frontal cortex, which associated with attention, were sensitive to the effects of OSA, provides neuroimaging evidence for cognitive impairment in children with OSA.

Alterations in Amygdala/Hippocampal Volume Ratios in Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Caused by Adenotonsillar Hypertrophy

BACKGROUND Intermittent hypoxemia can cause changes in certain brain structures. However, in pediatric patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) caused by adenotonsillar hypertrophy (ATH), there is only limited information on the effect of ATH-induced OSA on brain structures. This study sought to investigate alterations in amygdala and hippocampal volumes in children with OSA by ATH. MATERIAL AND METHODS Magnetic resonance imaging scans were applied in children who had ATH-induced OSA (ATH/OSA) and in healthy children. Amygdala and hippocampus volumes and adenoid sizes were measured on MRI volumetric images. The ratio of adenoid size/nasopharyngeal depth was used to describe the severity of adenoid hypertrophy. The clinical variables of the involved subjects were investigated. RESULTS One hundred ATH/OSA children and 100 healthy children without ATH/OSA participated in the study. The ATH/OSA children had higher amygdala volumes and amygdala/hippocampus volume ratios but lower hippocampus volumes than healthy controls, and the amygdala/hippocampus volume ratios were correlated with disease duration and hypoxemia conditions. However, our data showed that amygdala/hippocampus volume ratios were not correlated with the ratios of adenoid size/nasopharyngeal depth in the ATH/OSA children. In addition, the ratio of adenoid size/nasopharyngeal depths in ATH/OSA children was higher than that in healthy children in each subgroup based on the age of participants. CONCLUSIONS Compared to healthy controls, amygdala/hippocampus volume ratios are increased in children with ATH/OSA.

Socioeconomic disparities in sleep duration are associated with cortical thickness in children

INTRODUCTION

Disrupted sleep has been consistently linked with lower academic achievement and worse mental health in children. Less is understood about sleep as a potential factor underlying socioeconomic differences in brain morphometry in children. The goals of this study were to investigate the associations among socioeconomic factors, sleep duration, and brain morphometry in children, and to examine the roles of the sleep environment and family routines in these associations.

METHODS

Participants were 5- to 9-year-old children from socioeconomically diverse families (N = 94; 61% female). Parents reported on children's weekday and weekend sleep durations, sleep environment, and family routines. High-resolution, T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were acquired. Analyses focused on cortical thickness, cortical surface area, and amygdala and hippocampal volume.

RESULTS

Results indicated that lower family income-to-needs ratio and parental education were significantly associated with shorter weekday sleep duration in children. Shorter weekday sleep duration was significantly associated with reduced thickness in the left middle temporal, right postcentral, and right superior frontal cortices and smaller basolateral but not centromedial amygdala volume. Family routines significantly mediated the associations of family income-to-needs ratio and parental education with weekday sleep duration in children.

CONCLUSION

These results contribute to our understanding of sleep factors as proximal mechanisms through which socioeconomic context may alter neural development during childhood.

Validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the severity hierarchy score for pediatric obstructive sleep apnea screening

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the severity hierarchy score (J-SHS) in the screening of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among Japanese community children.

METHODS

A total of 922 children from elementary schools in Tokyo were recruited. Their parents completed the J-SHS questionnaire, and the children underwent an overnight Tracheal Sound (TS) recording. The reliability of the J-SHS was assessed by Cronbach's alpha coefficients and Spearman's correlation. Construct validity was determined by factor analysis. The discriminative ability to diagnose OSA was evaluated by constructing ROC curves.

RESULTS

Five hundred and seventeen children (51.8% male, mean age 7.1 ± 0.7 years) were included. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.80. Factor analysis resulted in a two-factor structure, with factor loadings all above 0.4. A J-SHS score of >1.88 exhibited a 60% sensitivity, 93% specificity, and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.78 for detecting an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of ≥5/h; a J-SHS score of >2.06 exhibited a 75% sensitivity, 84% specificity and AUC of 0.84 for detecting an AHI of ≥3/h among the children with a snoring frequency above two nights/wk.

CONCLUSION

The J-SHS exhibits good performance as a screening tool providing a quick and straightforward approach for identifying Japanese children at risk for OSA.

Neurocognitive evaluation of children with down syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) treatment has been shown to improve cardiac behavioral and cognitive functions in typically developing children. Early OSAS diagnosis in children with Down syndrome (DS) would be important to prevent its complications, especially cognitive ones, but remains overlooked. The main objective of our study was to assess the cognitive function of children with DS, with and without OSAS. The second objective was to determine the impact of the therapeutic intervention on the cognitive function of children with OSAS. This study included 41 children with DS who underwent polysomnography for OSAS diagnosis and a cognitive evaluation. They were aged between 3.4 and 17.3 years and 24 (59%) were boys. Their median OAHI was 2.6 (0-31)/h of sleep, 30 (73%) were diagnosed with OSAS (15 had mild OSAS, and 15 had moderate/severe OSAS). Some scores of the Raven's colored progressive matrices were negatively correlated with the respiratory arousal index, OAHI tended to be positively correlated with Reiss behavioral problems. 24 (59%) patients received a treatment. Even if we were unable to demonstrate this formally due that only 16 children (39%) accepted a follow-up visit, some displayed improvement in their neuropsychological scores, especially those with moderate/severe OSAS after treatment. Children with DS have low intellectual abilities and more risk of developing OSAS compared to the general population, which may lead to further neurocognitive impairment. Early screening and management are important in this population to prevent any further neurocognitive delay in their development.

Neurocognitive Consequences in Children with Sleep Disordered Breathing: Who Is at Risk?

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a prevalent disease in children characterized by snoring and narrowing of the upper airway leading to gas exchange abnormalities during sleep as well as sleep fragmentation. SDB has been consistently associated with problematic behaviors and adverse neurocognitive consequences in children but causality and determinants of susceptibility remain incompletely defined. Since the 1990s several studies have enlightened these associations and consistently reported poorer academic performance, lower scores on neurocognitive tests, and behavioral abnormalities in children suffering from SDB. However, not all children with SDB develop such consequences, and severity of SDB based on standard diagnostic indices has often failed to discriminate among those children with or without neurocognitive risk. Accordingly, a search for discovery of markers and clinically useful tools that can detect those children at risk for developing cognitive and behavioral deficits has been ongoing. Here, we review the advances in this field and the search for possible detection approaches and unique phenotypes of children with SDB who are at greater risk of developing neurocognitive consequences.

Serum neurofilament light reflects cognitive dysfunctions in children with obstructive sleep apnea

Background

In children, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can cause cognitive dysfunctions. Amyloid-beta and tau are elevated in OSA. Neurofilament light (NfL) is a marker of neuro-axonal damage, but there are no reports of NfL for OSA. The objective was to investigate the serum levels of NfL and tau in children with or without OSA and explore their relationship with cognitive dysfunctions caused by OSA.

Methods

This retrospective case–control study included children diagnosed with adenoid tonsil hypertrophy from July 2017 to September 2019 at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University. Correlations between cognitive scores and tau and NfL were examined.

Results

Fifty-six OSA and 49 non-OSA children were included. The serum NfL levels were higher in the OSA group (31.68 (27.29–36.07) pg/ml) than in the non-OSA group (19.13 (17.32–20.95) pg/ml) (P < 0.001). Moreover, NfL was correlated with the course of the disease, apnea–hypopnea index (AHI), obstructive apnea index (OAI), obstructive apnea–hypopnea index (OAHI), average oxygen saturation (SaO₂), respiratory arousal index (RAI), and cognitive dysfunctions evaluated by the Chinese Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (C-WISC) (all P < 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) of NfL was 0.816 (95%CI: 0.736–0.897). Multiple regression analysis revealed that NfL was significantly associated with verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ), performance intelligence quotient (PIQ) and full-scale intelligence quotient (FIQ) (P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions

Serum NfL levels are associated with the severity of cognitive dysfunctions in children diagnosed with adenoid tonsil hypertrophy and might be a candidate noninvasive, objective marker to identify cognitive dysfunctions in children with OSA.

Altered cortical structure network in children with obstructive sleep apnea

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by recurrent airway collapse during sleep, resulting in intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation that may contribute to alternations in brain structure and function. We hypothesized that OSA in children reorganizes and alters cortical structure, which can cause changes in cortical thickness correlation between brain regions across subjects.

METHODS

We constructed cortical structure networks based on cortical thickness measurements from 41 controls (age 15.54 ± 1.66 years, male 19) and 50 children with OSA (age 15.32 ± 1.65 years, male 29). The global (clustering coefficient [CC], path length, and small-worldness) and regional (nodal betweenness centrality, NBC) network properties and hub region distributions were examined between groups.

RESULTS

We found increased CCs in OSA compared to controls across a wide range of network densities (p-value < .05) and lower NBC area under the curve in left caudal anterior cingulate, left caudal middle frontal, left fusiform, left transverse temporal, right pars opercularis, and right precentral gyri (p-value < .05). In addition, while most of the hub regions were the same between groups, the OSA group had fewer hub regions and a different hub distribution compared to controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that children with OSA exhibit altered global and regional network characteristics compared to healthy controls. Our approach to the investigation of cortical structure in children with OSA could prove useful in understanding the etiology of OSA-related brain functional disorders.

Neurobehavioral morbidity of pediatric mild sleep-disordered breathing and obstructive sleep apnea

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with neurobehavioral dysfunction, but the relationship between disease severity as measured by the apnea-hypopnea index and neurobehavioral morbidity is unclear. The objective of our study is to compare the neurobehavioral morbidity of mild sleep-disordered breathing versus obstructive sleep apnea.

METHODS

Children 3-12 years old recruited for mild sleep-disordered breathing (snoring with obstructive apnea-hypopnea index < 3) into the Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy Trial for Snoring were compared to children 5-9 years old recruited for obstructive sleep apnea (obstructive apnea-hypopnea 2-30) into the Childhood Adenotonsillectomy Trial. Baseline demographic, polysomnographic, and neurobehavioral outcomes were compared using univariable and multivariable analysis.

RESULTS

The sample included 453 participants with obstructive sleep apnea (median obstructive apnea-hypopnea index 5.7) and 459 participants with mild sleep-disordered breathing (median obstructive apnea-hypopnea index 0.5). By polysomnography, participants with obstructive sleep apnea had poorer sleep efficiency and more arousals. Children with mild sleep-disordered breathing had more abnormal executive function scores (adjusted odds ratio 1.96, 95% CI 1.30-2.94) compared to children with obstructive sleep apnea. There were also elevated Conners scores for inattention (adjusted odds ratio 3.16, CI 1.98-5.02) and hyperactivity (adjusted odds ratio 2.82, CI 1.83-4.34) in children recruited for mild sleep-disordered breathing.

CONCLUSIONS

Abnormal executive function, inattention, and hyperactivity were more common in symptomatic children recruited into a trial for mild sleep-disordered breathing compared to children recruited into a trial for obstructive sleep apnea. Young, snoring children with only minimally elevated apnea-hypopnea levels may still be at risk for deficits in executive function and attention.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy for Snoring (PATS), NCT02562040; Childhood Adenotonsillectomy Trial (CHAT), NCT00560859.

Thalamic altered spontaneous activity and connectivity in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome is a sleep disorder characterized by excessive snoring, repetitive apneas, and nocturnal arousals, that leads to fragmented sleep and intermittent nocturnal hypoxemia. Morphometric and functional brain alterations in cortical and subcortical structures have been documented in these patients via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), even if correlational data between the alterations in the brain and cognitive and clinical indexes are still not reported.

METHODS

We examined the impact of OSA on brain spontaneous activity by measuring the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) in resting-state functional MRI data of 20 drug-naïve patients with OSA syndrome and 20 healthy controls matched for age, gender, and body mass index.

RESULTS

Patients showed a pattern of significantly abnormal subcortical functional activity as compared to controls, with increased activity selectively involving the thalami, specifically their intrinsic nuclei connected to somatosensory and motor-premotor cortical regions. Using these nuclei as seed regions, the subsequent functional connectivity analysis highlighted an increase in patients' thalamocortical connectivity at rest. Additionally, the correlation between fALFF and polysomnographic data revealed a possible link between OSA severity and fALFF of regions belonging to the central autonomic network.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest a hyperactivation in thalamic diurnal activity in patients with OSA syndrome, which we interpret as a possible consequence of increased thalamocortical circuitry activation during nighttime due to repeated arousals.

Does sleep-disordered breathing add to impairments in academic performance and brain structure usually observed in children with overweight/obesity?

Approximately 4-11% of children suffer from sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), and children with obesity are at increased risk. Both obesity and SDB have been separately associated with poorer brain health, yet whether SDB severity affects brain health in children with obesity remains unanswered. This study aimed to examine associations of SDB severity with academic performance and brain structure (i.e., total brain and gray and white matter volumes and gray matter volume in the hippocampus) in children with overweight/obesity. One hundred nine children aged 8-12 years with overweight/obesity were included. SDB severity and its subscales (i.e., snoring, daytime sleepiness, and inattention/hyperactivity) were evaluated via the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ), and academic performance was evaluated with the Woodcock-Muñoz standardized test and school grades. Brain structure was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. SDB severity was not associated with academic performance measured by the standardized test (all |β|> 0.160, P > 0.076), yet it was associated with the school grade point average (β = -0.226, P = 0.007) and natural and social science grades (β = -0.269, P = 0.024). Intention/hyperactivity seemed to drive these associations. No associations were found between SDB severity and the remaining school grades (all β < -0.188, P > 0.065) or brain volumes (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Our study shows that SDB severity was associated with lower school grades, yet it was not associated with the standardized measurement of academic performance or with brain volumes in children with overweight/obesity. SDB severity may add to academic problems in children beyond the effects contributed by overweight/obesity status alone.

WHAT IS KNOWN

• Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) may affect brain structure and academic performance in children. • Children with overweight/obesity are at higher risk for the development of SDB, yet the comorbid obesity-SDB relationship with brain health has not been investigated thus far.

WHAT IS NEW

• To our knowledge, this is the first study examining the associations of comorbid obesity-SDB severity with brain volumes and academic performance in children. • SDB symptoms may adversely affect academic performance at school in children with overweight/obesity, beyond the effects of weight status alone.

Prevalence of high-risk for obstructive sleep apnea in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder children referred to psychiatry clinic and impact on quality of life

OBJECTIVES

To study the prevalence of high-risk obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children in a child and adolescent psychiatry clinic using the Thai version of the Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea Screening Tool (POSAST) questionnaire. The secondary objective was to evaluate the quality of life and identify associated factors for high-risk OSA in ADHD children.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective cross-sectional study.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Caregivers of pediatric patients aged 5-18 years old and diagnosed with ADHD by child and adolescent psychiatrists were surveyed about their child's sleeping habits.

RESULTS

Two hundred and seventy-four subjects were included. The patients' mean age was 10.4 ± 2.6 years, and 82.8% were males. There were 30 children (10.9%) diagnosed with obesity, 46 (16.8%) with chronic rhinitis, and 9 (3.3%) with asthma. The median duration of ADHD symptoms was 22.1 months. The prevalence of high-risk OSA was 18.2% and was associated with significantly reduced quality of life (adjusted OR = 4.46, 95% CI: 2.26-8.81, P < 0.001). A significant association between high-risk OSA and obesity also emerged (adjusted OR = 2.84, 95% CI: 1.17-6.88, P = 0.021).

CONCLUSION

An elevated prevalence of high-risk OSA is present among Thai children with ADHD, and significantly impacts quality of life. A significant association between high-risk OSA and obesity is also detected in patients with ADHD. Therefore, screening for high-risk OSA in ADHD patients may likely facilitate early detection and treatment of OSA, and potentially prevent adverse consequences.

Preschool sleep and depression interact to predict gray matter volume trajectories across late childhood to adolescence

There is a close relationship between sleep and depression, and certain maladaptive outcomes of sleep problems may only be apparent in individuals with heightened levels of depression. In a sample enriched for preschool depression, we examined how sleep and depression in early childhood interact to predict later trajectories of gray matter volume. Participants (N = 161) were recruited and assessed during preschool (ages 3–6 years) and were later assessed with five waves of structural brain imaging, spanning from late childhood to adolescence. Sleep and depression were assessed using a semi-structured parent interview when the children were preschool-aged, and total gray matter volume was calculated at each scan wave. Although sleep disturbances alone did not predict gray matter volume/trajectories, preschool sleep and depression symptoms interacted to predict later total gray matter volume and the trajectory of decline in total gray matter volume. Sleep disturbances in the form of longer sleep onset latencies, increased irregularity in the child’s sleep schedule, and higher levels of daytime sleepiness in early childhood were all found to interact with early childhood depression severity to predict later trajectories of cortical gray matter volume. Findings provide evidence of the interactive effects of preschool sleep and depression symptoms on later neurodevelopment.

Altered Spontaneous Brain Activity Related to Neurologic and Sleep Dysfunction in Children With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

Childhood obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common chronic sleep-related breathing disorder in children, which leads to growth retardation, neurocognitive impairments, and serious complications. Considering the previous studies about brain structural abnormalities in OSA, in the present study, we aimed to explore the altered spontaneous brain activity among OSA patients, using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), fractional ALFF (fALFF), and regional homogeneity (ReHo) methods based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Thirty-one untreated OSA children and 33 age-and gender-matched healthy children (HC) were included in this study. Compared with controls, the OSA group showed significant lower ALFF in the right lingual gyrus, decreased fALFF in the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG), but increased fALFF in the left precuneus. Decreased ReHo was found in the left inferior frontal gyrus (orbital part) and left middle frontal gyrus. Notably, the mean fALFF value of left MFG was not only significantly related to multiple sleep parameters but also demonstrated the best performance in ROC curve analysis. These findings revealed OSA children were associated with dysfunctions in the default mode network, the frontal lobe, and the lingual gyrus, which may implicate the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms of intrinsic brain activity. The correlation between the altered spontaneous neuronal activity and the clinical index provides early useful diagnostic biomarkers for OSA children as well.

Correlations between sleep disturbance and brain cortical morphometry in healthy children

Background

While the importance of adequate sleep duration to normal brain development is well known, more studies are needed to characterize how undiagnosed sleep disturbance other than suboptimal sleep duration may impact brain development. In this study we aim to understand the relationships between sleep disturbance measures and cortical morphometry in typically-developing children without previous diagnoses of sleep pathology.

Methods

Healthy 8-year-old children (30 boys, 37 girls) without clinical diagnosis of sleep disorders were prospectively recruited for brain MRI and their parents completed the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). Total sleep disturbance score, as well as 8 subscales including bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, sleep duration, sleep anxiety, night waking, parasomnias, sleep disordered breathing, and daytime sleepiness were calculated, and their relationships with cortical morphometry features including cortical gray matter volume, cortical thickness, and surface area were investigated, controlled for total cortical volume and sex.

Results

The CSHQ total sleep disturbance score significantly correlated with cortical surface area in a cluster in the left middle temporal gyrus (P < 0.001, R = -0.54). In addition, the bedtime resistance subscale negatively correlated with cortical surface area in a cluster in the right fusiform gyrus (P < 0.001, R = -0.50). No other clusters showed significant relationships between CSHQ total score or subscales and cortical features for this cohort.

Conclusion

Significant relationships between sleep disturbance scores in typically-developing children without clinical diagnosis of sleep pathology and their brain cortical surface area in two temporal lobe regions were identified, suggesting that undiagnosed sleep disturbance may potentially impact brain development even in healthy children.

Cingulo-opercular and Cingulo-parietal Brain Networks Functional Connectivity in Pre-adolescents: Multiplicative Effects of Race, Ethnicity, and Parental Education

Introduction

A growing body of research has shown a diminished association between socioeconomic status (SES) indicators and a wide range of neuroimaging indicators for racial and ethnic minorities compared to majority groups. However, less is known about these effects for resting-state functional connectivity between various brain networks.

Purpose

This study investigated racial and ethnic variation in the correlation between parental education and resting-state functional connectivity between the cingulo-opercular (CO) and cingulo-parietal (CP) networks in children.

Methods

This cross-sectional study used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study; we analyzed the resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rsfMRI) data of 8,464 American pre-adolescents between the ages of 9 and 10. The main outcome measured was resting-state functional connectivity between the CO and CP networks calculated using rsfMRI. The independent variable was parental education, which was treated as a nominal variable. Age, sex, and family marital status were the study covariates. Race and ethnicity were the moderators. Mixed-effects regression models were used for data analysis, with and without interaction terms between parental education and race and ethnicity.

Results

Higher parental education was associated with higher resting-state functional connectivity between the CO and CP networks. Race and ethnicity both showed statistically significant interactions with parental education on children's resting-state functional connectivity between CO and CP networks, suggesting that the correlation between parental education and the resting-state functional connectivity was significantly weaker for Black and Hispanic pre-adolescents compared to White and non-Hispanic pre-adolescents.

Conclusions

In line with the Minorities' Diminished Returns theory, the association between parental education and pre-adolescents resting-state functional connectivity between CO and CP networks may be weaker in Black and Hispanic children than in White and non-Hispanic children. The weaker link between parental education and brain functional connectivity for Blacks and Hispanics than for Whites and non-Hispanics may reflect racism, racialization, and social stratification that collectively minimize the returns of SES indicators, such as parental education for non-Whites, who become others in the US.

Snoring Remediation with Oral Appliance Therapy Potentially Reverses Cognitive Impairment: An Intervention Controlled Pilot Study

Respiration rate (RR) dynamics entrains brain neural networks. RR differences between mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in response to oral appliance therapy (OAT) are unknown. This pilot study investigated if RR during stable sleep shows a relationship to pathological severity in subjects with MCI and AD who snore and if RR is influenced following stabilization of the upper airway using OAT. The study cohort was as follows: cognitively normal (CN; n = 14), MCI (n = 14) and AD (n = 9); and a sub-population receiving intervention, CN (n = 5), MCI (n = 7), AD (n = 6) subjects. The intervention used was an oral appliance plus a mouth shield (Tx). RR maximum (max) rate (breaths/minute) and RR fluctuation during 2116 stable sleep periods were measured. The Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) was administered before and after 4 weeks with Tx. Baseline data showed significantly higher RR fluctuation in CN vs. AD (p < 0.001) but not between CN vs. MCI (p = 0.668). Linear mixed model analysis indicated Tx effect (p = 0.008) for RR max. Tx after 4 weeks lowered the RR-max in MCI (p = 0.022) and AD (p < 0.001). Compared with AD RR max, CN (p < 0.001) and MCI (p < 0.001) were higher with Tx after 4 weeks. Some MCI and AD subjects improved executive and memory function after 4 weeks of Tx.

Shorter Duration and Lower Quality Sleep Have Widespread Detrimental Effects on Developing Functional Brain Networks in Early Adolescence

Sleep is critical for cognitive health, especially during complex developmental periods such as adolescence. However, its effects on maturating brain networks that support cognitive function are only partially understood. We investigated the impact of shorter duration and reduced quality sleep, common stressors during development, on functional network properties in early adolescence-a period of significant neural maturation, using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging from 5566 children (median age = 120.0 months; 52.1% females) in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development cohort. Decreased sleep duration, increased sleep latency, frequent waking up at night, and sleep-disordered breathing symptoms were associated with lower topological efficiency, flexibility, and robustness of visual, sensorimotor, attention, fronto-parietal control, default-mode and/or limbic networks, and with aberrant changes in the thalamus, basal ganglia, hippocampus, and cerebellum (P < 0.05). These widespread effects, many of which were body mass index-independent, suggest that unhealthy sleep in early adolescence may impair neural information processing and integration across incompletely developed networks, potentially leading to deficits in their cognitive correlates, including attention, reward, emotion processing and regulation, memory, and executive control. Shorter sleep duration, frequent snoring, difficulty waking up, and daytime sleepiness had additional detrimental network effects in nonwhite participants, indicating racial disparities in the influence of sleep metrics.

Analysis of behavioral problems in children with sleep-disordered breathing and decreased REM sleep

OBJECTIVE

REM sleep is known to be closely associated with behavioral problems in children. Our previous study showed that children with decreased REM sleep (REM < 10%) suffered from severe sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). In this study we explored the characteristics of behavioral problems in children with SDB and decreased REM sleep.

METHODS

A total of 223 children were enrolled in the study. Sleep was evaluated by Polysomnography (PSG). Behavioral problems were assessed by a Chinese version of Child Behavior Checklist (parent-reported). Parameters of SDB and behavioral problem scores (internalizing, externalizing, and total scores) were compared between the children with decreased REM (REM < 10%) and those with REM ≥ 10% before and after controlling overweight/obesity and obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Parameters of SDB were also compared between the normal behavior group and the abnormal behavior group. The correlation between the behavioral problems and the sleep parameters was analyzed.

RESULTS

The children with decreased REM sleep (<10%) had more severe externalizing and total behavioral problems, even when controlled for overweight/obesity. The abnormal behavior group had significantly shorter total sleep time and REM sleep compared to the normal behavior group.

CONCLUSION

Children with SDB and decreased REM sleep showed more severe behavioral problems, especially the externalizing behavioral problems. The behavioral problems can be aggravated by insufficient total sleep. Decreased REM sleep in children may be an independent parameter that is associated with the behavioral problems in children with SDB.

Obstructing Sleep Apnea in Children with Genetic Disorders-A Special Need for Early Multidisciplinary Diagnosis and Treatment

Background—Children with genetic disorders have multiple anatomical and physiological conditions that predispose them to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). They should have priority access to polysomnography (PSG) before establishing their therapeutic protocol. We analyzed the prevalence and the severity of OSAS in a particular group of children with genetic disorders and strengthened their need for a multidisciplinary diagnosis and adapted management. Methods—The retrospective analysis included children with genetic impairments and sleep disturbances that were referred for polysomnography. We collected respiratory parameters from sleep studies: apnea–hypopnea index (AHI), SatO₂ nadir, end-tidal CO₂, and transcutaneous CO₂. Subsequent management included non-invasive ventilation (NIV) or otorhinolaryngological (ENT) surgery of the upper airway. Results—We identified 108 patients with neuromuscular disorders or multiple congenital anomalies. OSAS was present in 87 patients (80.5%), 3 of whom received CPAP, 32 needed another form of NIV during sleep, and 15 patients were referred for ENT surgery. The post-therapeutic follow-up PSG parameters confirmed the success of the treatment. Conclusions—The upper airway obstruction diagnostics and management for children with complex genetic diseases need a multidisciplinary approach. Early detection and treatment of sleep-disordered breathing in children with genetic disorders is a priority for improving their quality of life.

Associations between frontal lobe structure, parent-reported obstructive sleep disordered breathing and childhood behavior in the ABCD dataset

Parents frequently report behavioral problems among children who snore. Our understanding of the relationship between symptoms of obstructive sleep disordered breathing (oSDB) and childhood behavioral problems associated with brain structural alterations is limited. Here, we examine the associations between oSDB symptoms, behavioral measures such as inattention, and brain morphometry in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study comprising 10,140 preadolescents. We observe that parent-reported symptoms of oSDB are associated with composite and domain-specific problem behaviors measured by parent responses to the Child Behavior Checklist. Alterations of brain structure demonstrating the strongest negative associations with oSDB symptoms are within the frontal lobe. The relationships between oSDB symptoms and behavioral measures are mediated by significantly smaller volumes of multiple frontal lobe regions. These results provide population-level evidence for an association between regional structural alterations in cortical gray matter and problem behaviors reported in children with oSDB.

The Impacts of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Severity on Brain White Matter Integrity and Cognitive Functions in Children: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the impacts of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on white matter (WM) integrity and cognitive functions of pediatric patients with different levels of OSA severity.

METHODS

Fifty-eight children with OSA and thirty-four healthy controls (HC) were recruited. All participants underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) examination, polysomnography (PSG), and neurocognitive assessments. Patients were divided into mild OSA (MG) and moderate-severe OSA (SG) groups. WM integrity, PSG data, and neurocognitive assessment scores were compared among those groups.

RESULTS

For apnea hypopnea index (AHI), obstructive apnea hypopnea index (OAHI), arousal index, SpO₂ nadir, and attention, SG was worse than both MG and HC with MG worse than HC. For baseline SpO₂ and intelligence, SG was worse than both MG and HC with no significant difference between MG and HC. Impaired WM integrity was observed in bilateral anterior thalamic radiation, bilateral inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus, right superior longitudinal fasciculus, right hippocampus, left cingulate gyrus, right uncinate fasciculus, callosum forceps major, and callosum forceps minor only for SG than for HC. WM integrity was significantly correlated with OSA severity and neurocognitive assessment scores only for SG, but not for MG.

CONCLUSION

Decreased baseline SpO₂, WM impairment, and intelligence decline were all observed only for SG, but not for MG, implying an associated relationship among decreased SpO₂, WM impairment and WM impairment. Thus, for SG, additional assessments of brain damage and cognitive function decline are needed for prognostic evaluation of OSA.

Volumetric brain magnetic resonance imaging analysis in children with obstructive sleep apnea

OBJECTIVES

Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is associated with neurocognitive deficits. Cerebral structural alterations in the frontal cortex, cerebellum, and hippocampus have been reported in adult OSA patients. These brain areas are important for executive functioning, motor regulation of breathing, and memory function, respectively. Corresponding evidence comparing cerebral structures in pediatric OSA patients is limited. The objective of this study is to investigate MRI differences in cortical thickness and cortical volume in children with and without OSA.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, single institutional case-control study.

METHODS

Forty-five children were recruited at a pediatric tertiary care center (27 with OSA; mean age 9.9 ± 1.9 years, and 18 controls; mean age 10.5 ± 1.0 years). The OSA group underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), polysomnography (PSG) and completed the Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale (PDSS) and the Child's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). High-resolution T1-weighted MRI was utilized to examine cortical thickness and gray and white matter volume in children with OSA compared to a healthy group of demographically-comparable children without OSA selected from a pre-existing MRI dataset.

RESULTS

Children with OSA showed multiple regions of cortical thinning primarily in the left hemisphere. Reduced gray matter (GM) volume was noted in the OSA group in multiple frontal regions of the left hemisphere (superior frontal, rostral medial frontal, and caudal medial frontal regions). Reduced white matter (WM) volume in both the left and right hemisphere was observed in regions of the frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes in children with OSA.

CONCLUSION

This study noted differences in cortical thickness and GM and WM regional brain volumes in children with OSA. These findings are consistent with other pediatric studies, which also report differences between healthy children and those with OSA. We found that the severity of OSA does not correlate with the extent of MRI alterations.

Randomised trial showed no difference in behavioural symptoms between surgical methods treating paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea

AIM

Our previous randomised controlled trial of children with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) showed no significant differences between adenotonsillectomy (ATE) and adenotonsillotomy (ATT) in improving nocturnal respiration and quality of life after 1 year. The aim of this report was to evaluate the effects on behavioural symptoms using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

METHODS

Children between 2 and 6 years with OSA were randomised to ATT or ATE. Parents, blinded to method, answered the SDQ while their child underwent polysomnography before and 1 year after surgery. Differences between the total SDQ scores were analysed between the treatment groups.

RESULTS

The SDQ was filled out in 87% of the cases preoperatively, and in 86% postoperatively. At follow-up, the mean total SDQ score was 9.6 SD ± 5.1 in the ATE group (n = 31), and 8.2 ± 6.7 in the ATT group (n = 37), P = .09. The mean total SDQ score for all was preoperatively 10.6 ± 5.0, and postoperatively 8.8 ± 6.0, P = .0002.

CONCLUSION

There were no significant differences in SDQ scores between the groups at follow-up, indicating that the more conservative ATT is a treatment option in paediatric OSA. The whole group of patients showed a significant improvement after surgery.

Effects of obstructive sleep apnoea severity on neurocognitive and brain white matter alterations in children according to sex: a tract-based spatial statistics study

OBJECTIVES

To investigate alterations in neurocognitive, attention, paediatric sleep questionnaire (PSQ) scores and whole brain white matter (WM) integrity between children with mild and severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) according to sex and whether these changes are associated with OSA severity.

METHODS

Fifty-seven children (36 males and 21 females) diagnosed with OSA were recruited for this study. Children of both sexes were divided into mild (male-MG, female-MG) and severe (male-SG, female-SG) groups according to OSA severity. Polysomnography (PSG), neurocognitive, attention and PSQ tests were compared between groups by one-way samples analysis of variance (ANOVA) F test. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was scanned using a 3T GE MRI scanner and analysed by Tract-based Spatial Statistics (TBSS). Spearman correlation was calculated between DTI Eigenvalues and clinical characteristics.

RESULTS

Compared to mild OSA patients, severe OSA patients presented greater severity of obstructive apnoea hypopnea index (OAHI), neurocognition, PSQ and attention tests in both male and female patients. Brain WM integrity in the male-SG, compared to the male-MG, demonstrated significantly reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the right middle frontal gyrus and the right frontal sub-gyral regions and increased axial diffusivity (AD) values in the right inferior frontal gyrus, left parietal angular gyrus and sub-gyral regions, while no differences were found between the female-MG and female-SG. Alterations in male-SG brain regions were observably correlated with severity in male OSA patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The integrity of WM, which regulates autonomic, cognitive, and attention functions, is impaired in male, but not female, children with severe OSA.

Neurodevelopmental Consequences of Pediatric Cancer and Its Treatment: The Role of Sleep

Cognitive impairment is frequent in pediatric cancer, and behavioral and psychological disturbances often also affect children who have survived cancer problems. Furthermore, pediatric tumors are also often associated with sleep disorders. The interrelationship between sleep disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders and pediatric cancer, however, is still largely unexplored. In this narrative review we approach this important aspect by first considering studies on pediatric cancer as a possible cause of neurodevelopmental disorders and then describing pediatric cancer occurring as a comorbid condition in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Finally, we discuss the role of sleep disorders in children with cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders. Even if the specific literature approaching directly the topic of the role of sleep in the complex relationship between pediatric cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders was found to be scarce, the available evidence supports the idea that in-depth knowledge and correct management of sleep disorders can definitely improve the health and quality of life of children with cancer and of their families.

Sleep and Early Brain Development

The early years of life are characterized by dramatic developmental changes. Within this important time period lies the transition from newborn to childhood. Sleep is one of the primary activities of the brain during early development and plays an important role in healthy cognitive and psychosocial development in early life. This paper will first review the normal sleep characteristics and their development in neonates and children, including architecture of sleep, development of a healthy sleep rhythm in early childhood, sleep recommendations and cultural disparity, as well as important factors for establishing a healthy sleep pattern during the first years of life, such as regular and consistent bedtime routine, safe and comfortable sleep environment, and appropriate sleep onset associations. This paper then provides recent updates of evidence of the effects of sleep on early brain development, particularly on learning and memory, emotional regulation, and general cognitive development through behavioral and neurophysiological studies. As regards the mechanism, many experimental sleep deprivation studies in animals and adults have attempted to explain the underlying mechanisms of sleep on cognition and the emotional brain. Future studies are expected to delineate the effects of sleep on brain structural and functional networks in the developing brain with the marked development of image acquisition approaches and the novel analysis tools for infants and young children in recent years.

Intermittent hypoxia and long-term neurological outcome: How are they related?

This review looks at data on potential associations between intermittent hypoxia (IH) and impaired neurodevelopment in infants and children. In extremely preterm infants (<28 wk gestation), such an association has been established based on a secondary analysis of Canadian Oxygen Trial data. These showed, in 997 infants, that the odds of developing cognitive or language impairment at 18 months corrected age were 3 times higher in infants who were in the highest decile for %time spent with events where pulse oximeter saturation (SpO₂) was <80% for ≥1 min during their first 10 postnatal weeks compared to those who had very few such events after birth. In older term and preterm infants, the occurrence of 5 or more events with prolonged apnea and bradycardia during home monitoring was associated with 5 points less on the mental development index of the Bayley-II scales. For older children, associations between sleep-disordered breathing and impaired cognition/academic achievements have also been established, but not consistently, and it remains unclear whether this association is primarily mediated via IH or via sleep deprivation. Animal data show that IH may cause apoptosis particularly in the hippocampus. Although we need to stress that associations cannot prove causality, current evidence provides support for IH to be detected and prevented early. Future studies should focus on IH rather than on apnea/bradycardia.

Sleep patterns and problems among children with 22q11 deletion syndrome

BACKGROUND

To delineate sleep habits and problems in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS).

METHODS

Thirty children, age 1-15 (mean 6.8) years, participated in the study, which was an internet-based anonymous survey of parents of children with 22q11DS administered via the 22q11.2 Foundation. The main outcome was the Childhood Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ).

RESULTS

Scores on the CSHQ demonstrated clinically significant sleep problems in 29 of the 30 children. When compared with previously reported normative values for typically developing children of the same age, children with 22q11DS had significantly greater sleep problems. Only 30% of children had previously undergone sleep study. While about half of children had tried a medication for sleep, it usually was not felt to be helpful. In contrast, parents reported that behavioral interventions, such as consistent bedtime routine and appropriate sleep environment, were helpful. This is one of the first studies to specifically address sleep problems other than obstructive sleep apnea in children with 22q11DS.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest children with 22q11DS may have a higher risk of experiencing clinical sleep problems, compared to typically developing children. Consideration of additional screening and treatment of sleep disorders in children with 22q11DS is warranted.

Plasma Extracellular Vesicles in Children with OSA Disrupt Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity and Endothelial Cell Wound Healing in Vitro

Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (P-OSA) is associated with neurocognitive deficits and endothelial dysfunction, suggesting the possibility that disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) may underlie these morbidities. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), which include exosomes, are small particles involved in cell-cell communications via different mechanisms and could play a role in OSA-associated end-organ injury. To examine the roles of EVs in BBB dysfunction, we recruited three groups of children: (a) absence of OSA or cognitive deficits (CL, n = 6), (b) OSA but no evidence of cognitive deficits (OSA-NC(-), n = 12), and (c) OSA with evidence of neurocognitive deficits (OSA-NC(+), n = 12). All children were age-, gender-, ethnicity-, and BMI-z-score-matched, and those with OSA were also apnea-hypopnea index (AHI)-matched. Plasma EVs were characterized, quantified, and applied on multiple endothelial cell types (HCAEC, HIAEC, human HMVEC-D, HMVEC-C, HMVEC-L, and hCMEC/D3) while measuring monolayer barrier integrity and wound-healing responses. EVs from OSA children induced significant declines in hCMEC/D3 transendothelial impedance compared to CL (p < 0.001), and such changes were greater in NC(+) compared to NC(-) (p < 0.01). The effects of EVs from each group on wound healing for HCAEC, HIAEC, HMVED-d, and hCMEC/D3 cells were similar, but exhibited significant differences across the three groups, with evidence of disrupted wound healing in P-OSA. However, wound healing in HMVEC-C was only affected by NC(+) (p < 0.01 vs. NC(-) or controls (CO). Furthermore, no significant differences emerged in HMVEC-L cell wound healing across all three groups. We conclude that circulating plasma EVs in P-OSA disrupt the integrity of the BBB and exert adverse effects on endothelial wound healing, particularly among OSA-NC(+) children, while also exhibiting endothelial cell type selectivity. Thus, circulating EVs cargo may play important roles in the emergence of end-organ morbidity in pediatric OSA.

The role of sleep-related cognitive functions in the spectrum of benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes

Heterogeneous cognitive deficits have been described in the spectrum of benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes, which strongly correlate with the intensity of interictal epileptiform discharges and its spreading, in particular during sleep, mostly within the perisylvian cognitive network. The aim of this review is to discuss current findings regarding the connection between sleep alterations and cognitive function in the spectrum of benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes. A longer sleep onset latency is the only evident sleep macrostructure alteration reported in the spectrum of benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes. On a microstructural level, a higher spike count of descending compared to ascending slopes of sleep cycles, an impairment of slow wave downscaling, and amplitude and slope of slow waves were found in the spectrum of benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes. Moreover, children with benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes had a reduced non-rapid eye movement sleep instability, in terms of cyclic alternating pattern, similar to that found in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders and in children with obstructive sleep apnea and centro-temporal spike during sleep. Children with benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes have a known comorbidity with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders and obstructive sleep apnea.Conclusion: Considering the common sleep microstructure alterations, the presence of attention deficit and hyperactivity and/or sleep apnea may be a considered warning sign in the case of benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes. What is Known: • Sleep related-cognitive deficits have been described in the spectrum of benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes. The degree of sleep alterations may predict the neurocognitive outcome, and help clinicians to choose the right treatment. What is New: • Considering the common sleep microstructure alterations, attention deficit and sleep apnea, may be a considered warning signs.

Shooting a high-density electroencephalographic picture on sleep in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Study Objectives

Sleep-related slow-wave activity (SWA) has been recognized as a marker of synaptic plasticity. In children affected by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), SWA is mainly located in the central rather than frontal regions, reflecting a maturational delay. A detailed subjective and objective sleep investigation, including a full night video-polysomnography (PSG-HD-EEG), was performed on 30 consecutive drug naïve outpatients with a diagnosis of ADHD. They received a diagnosis of sleep disorders in 29/30 cases, and most of them had a past history of sleep problems. They had a higher apnea–hypopnea index at PSG, and slept less than 9 hr at actigraphy. We aimed to describe the SWA behavior in the same group of children with ADHD.

Materials and Methods

The full-night PSG-HD EEG of children with ADHD was compared with the one of the 25 healthy controls. The scalp SWA mapping, the decrease of SWA during the night, and the EEG source of SWA were analyzed.

Results

At scalp topography, the focus of SWA was observed over the centro–parietal–occipital regions in participants with ADHD (p < 0.01), which remained significant in the subgroups divided between subgroups according to the sleep diagnosis (p < 0.01). The physiological decrease in SWA was more evident in control participants. The source analysis revealed a greater delta power over the posterior cingulate in participants with ADHD (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Our results confirm static and dynamic changes in SWA behavior in children with ADHD, which may reflect a maturational delay occurring at a vulnerable age, as a consequence of chronic sleep deprivation.

Age and autonomic control, but not cerebral oxygenation, are significant determinants of EEG spectral power in children

Study Objectives

Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in children has significant effects on daytime functioning and cardiovascular control; attributed to sleep fragmentation and repetitive hypoxia. Associations between electroencephalograph (EEG) spectral power, autonomic cardiovascular control and cerebral oxygenation have been identified in adults with SDB. To date, there have been no studies in children. We aimed to assess associations between EEG spectral power and heart rate variability as a measure of autonomic control, with cerebral oxygenation in children with SDB.

Methods

One hundred sixteen children (3–12 years) with SDB and 42 controls underwent overnight polysomnography including measurement of cerebral oxygenation. Power spectral analysis of the EEG derived from C4-M1 and F4-M1, quantified delta, theta, alpha, and beta waveforms during sleep. Multiple regression tested whether age, SDB severity, heart rate (HR), HR variability (HRV), and cerebral oxygenation were determinants of EEG spectral power.

Results

There were no differences in EEG spectral power derived from either central or frontal regions for any frequency between children with different severities of SDB so these were combined. Age, HR, and HRV low frequency power were significant determinants of EEG spectral power depending on brain region and sleep stage.

Conclusion

The significant findings of this study were that age and autonomic control, rather than cerebral oxygenation and SDB severity, were predictive of EEG spectral power in children. Further research is needed to elucidate how the physiology that underlies the relationship between autonomic control and EEG impacts on the cardiovascular sequelae in children with SDB.

Related biomarkers of neurocognitive impairment in children with obstructive sleep apnea

OBJECTIVES

Different experiment approaches have demonstrated that children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) exhibit neurocognitive and behavioral deficits. This review summarized the potential biomarkers of OSA-associated neurocognitive impairment in children.

METHODS

A scoping review of studies on children with OSA that evaluated the potential value of different markers in identifying neurocognitive impairment was undertaken. Additionally, the biomarkers were categorized according to the different research methods, including brain imaging studies, serological indicators and urine markers.

RESULTS

Majority of the studies that evaluated blood biomarkers, plasma insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related biomarkers appeared to exhibit a favorable profile, and could discriminate between OSA children with or without neurocognitive impairments. Brain imaging studies and urinary neurotransmitters could also be helpful for screening OSA cognitive morbidity in children.

CONCLUSION

Due to limited research methods available in children, the cognitive susceptibility of children with OSA has been rarely studied. The main reason for this may be the limited research methods in children. Numerous study populations of children and complex psychological tests are required, which involve major labor and costs.Multi-center prospective studies are needed to identify suitable biomarkers for the timely prediction and effective intervention to prevent neurocognitive impairment in children with OSA and to explore further opportunities in this arena.

Regional brain tissue integrity in pediatric obstructive sleep apnea

Children with long-standing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) show evidence of neural injury and functional deficits in behavioral and cognitive regulatory brain regions that are reflected in symptoms of altered cognitive performance and behaviors. While we earlier showed reduced gray matter volume and increased and reduced regional cortical thicknesses, such structural changes give little indication of the underlying pathology. Brain tissue integrity in pediatric OSA subjects can reflect the nature and extent of injury or structural adaptation, and can be assessed by entropy tissue texture, a measure of local changes in signal intensity patterns from high-resolution magnetic resonance images. We collected high-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance images from 10 pediatric OSA (age, 7.9 ± 1.1 years; apnea-hypopnea-index, 8.8 ± 3.0 events/hour; body-mass-index, 20 ± 6.7 kg/m²; 7 male) and 8 healthy controls (age, 8.8 ± 1.6 years; body-mass-index, 19.6 ± 5.9 kg/m²; 5 female). Images were bias-corrected and entropy maps calculated, individual maps were normalized to a common space, smoothed, and compared between groups (ANCOVA; covariates: age, gender; SPM12, uncorrected-threshold p < 0.005). No significant differences in age (p = .48), gender (p = .59), or body-mass-index (p = .63) emerged between groups. In OSA children, several brain sites including the pre-frontal cortex, middle and posterior corpus callosum, thalamus, hippocampus, and cerebellar areas showed reduced entropy values, indicating tissue changes suggestive of acute insults. No regions showed higher entropy values in OSA. Children suffering from OSA display predominantly acute tissue injury in neural regions principally localized within autonomic, respiratory, cognitive, and neuropsychologic control, functions that correspond to previously-reported comorbidities associated with OSA. A range of acute processes, including hypoxia/re-oxygenation, repeated arousals, and episodic hypercarbia, may have contributed to regional brain tissue integrity changes in pediatric OSA.

Waking up too early - the consequences of preterm birth on sleep development

Good quality sleep of sufficient duration is vital for optimal physiological function and our health. Sleep deprivation is associated with impaired neurocognitive function and emotional control, and increases the risk for cardiometabolic diseases, obesity and cancer. Sleep develops during fetal life with the emergence of a recognisable pattern of sleep states in the preterm fetus associated with the development, maturation and connectivity within neural networks in the brain. Despite the physiological importance of sleep, surprisingly little is known about how sleep develops in individuals born preterm. Globally, an estimated 15 million babies are born preterm (<37 weeks gestation) each year, and these babies are at significant risk of neural injury and impaired brain development. This review discusses how sleep develops during fetal and neonatal life, how preterm birth impacts on sleep development to adulthood, and the factors which may contribute to impaired brain and sleep development, leading to altered neurocognitive, behavioural and motor capabilities in the infant and child. Going forward, the challenge is to identify specific risk factors for impaired sleep development in preterm babies to allow for the design of interventions that will improve the quality and quantity of sleep throughout life.