Impact Of Sleep Disordered Breathing On Cardiovascular, Behavioural And Neurocognitive Function In Preschool Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$425,703.00
Summary
Studies in school age children have shown that disruption to normal sleep patterns resulting from sleep disordered breathing (SDB) has severe consequences for both the cardiovascular system and neurocognition. To date there have been limited investigations of the effects of SDB in pre-school children despite the knowledge that disruptions to breathing during sleep are maximal at this age and the central nervous system which is immature and developing at this time, is most vulnerable to injury.
Cardiovascular, Neurophysiological And Neurocognitive Assessments To Define Sleep Disordered Breathing In Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$324,008.00
Summary
Disruptions to breathing during sleep (snoring), known as sleep disordered breathing occurs in up to 27% of children and forms a continuum of symptoms ranging from mild to severe. It has previously been thought that only severe disruptions to breathing, as occurs in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), were of clinical significance requiring intervention, however recent studies have shown that even snoring with no currently used signs of altered blood oxygenation levels or sleep disruption can have a ....Disruptions to breathing during sleep (snoring), known as sleep disordered breathing occurs in up to 27% of children and forms a continuum of symptoms ranging from mild to severe. It has previously been thought that only severe disruptions to breathing, as occurs in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), were of clinical significance requiring intervention, however recent studies have shown that even snoring with no currently used signs of altered blood oxygenation levels or sleep disruption can have a significant impact on daytime functioning and school performance. It is also known that cardiovascular disease is a long-term consequence of untreated sleep disordered breathing in adults, however the long-term effects on the cardiovascular system in children are unknown. This study will examine both the neurocognitive and cardiovascular effects of a range of severities of sleep disordered breathing in children and will identify new more sensitive markers of sleep disruption in order to predict neurocognitive dysfunction. In order to address this most important issue, this project will combine the expertise of scientists and clinicians in the fields of paediatric sleep, cardiovascular control and neuropsychological assessment from Monash and Melbourne Universities, and the Monash Medical Centre and Royal Children's Hospital.Read moreRead less
Previous research has shown that SIDS victims have a number of subtle abnormalities that set them apart from the normal population. These include the occurrence of upper airway obstruction in sleep, a reduced ability to awaken from sleep and abnormalities of the automatic control of heart rate and blood pressure in sleep. These body functions are controlled by a component of the brain called the autonomic nervous system which controls the heart and other internal functions by means of nerves cal ....Previous research has shown that SIDS victims have a number of subtle abnormalities that set them apart from the normal population. These include the occurrence of upper airway obstruction in sleep, a reduced ability to awaken from sleep and abnormalities of the automatic control of heart rate and blood pressure in sleep. These body functions are controlled by a component of the brain called the autonomic nervous system which controls the heart and other internal functions by means of nerves called the parasymmpathetic and sympathetic systems. The purpose of this project is to undertake studies of the autonomic system in normal infants and in those infants who are considered to be at risk for SIDS. As SIDS occurs almost exclusively in sleep it is important to study the infant?s heart rate and blood pressure responses to various challenges whilst asleep. All infants (both controls and subjects) enrolled in the protocol will therefore undergo overnight sleep studies during which their automatic responses to a variety of stimuli will be measured. Once we have established the normal response to these stimuli we can then compare them to the results of the at risk group. If, as we anticipate, there is a difference between our at risk group and the normal controls in automatic function then we will measure some of the stress hormones in the body which reflect the function of the autonomic nervous system. If there is a difference in the levels of these hormones between the normal and the at risk groups which correlates with the expected subtle abnormalities in function we may be able to devise an accessible and quantifiable measure for those infants at risk of SIDSRead moreRead less