TY - JOUR
T1 - Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and cognition in Down syndrome
AU - Breslin, Jennifer
AU - Spanò, Goffredina
AU - Bootzin, Richard
AU - Anand, Payal
AU - Nadel, Lynn
AU - Edgin, Jamie
PY - 2014/7
Y1 - 2014/7
N2 - Aim: Good-quality sleep is essential for normal learning and memory. Sleep fragmentation and disrupted sleep architecture are commonly observed throughout the lifespan of individuals with Down syndrome, a condition marked by cognitive deficits emerging within the first few months of life. While obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is known to contribute to the loss of sleep quality in Down syndrome, its relation to cognitive and behavioral impairment remains poorly understood. Method: Using ambulatory polysomnography, we measured sleep in an unreferred community-based sample of 38 individuals with Down syndrome (15 males, 23 females; mean age 9y 7mo (SD 1y 9mo), range 7-12y). Cognitive outcomes were assessed with the Arizona Cognitive Test Battery, a set of psychometric measures designed and validated for this population. Results: Among children with Down syndrome, mean Verbal IQ score (p=0.006) was 9 points lower in those with comorbid OSAS (apnea-hypopnea index >1.5) than in those without OSAS, and performance on measures of cognitive flexibility was poorer (p=0.03). In addition, those with OSAS showed increased light-stage sleep (p=0.009) at the expense of slow-wave sleep (p=0.04). Interpretation: These findings demonstrate a relation between OSAS and cognitive outcomes in Down syndrome. More work is required to fully understand the mechanisms underlying the links between poor sleep and impaired cognitive function. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of adequate sleep in typically and atypically developing populations.
AB - Aim: Good-quality sleep is essential for normal learning and memory. Sleep fragmentation and disrupted sleep architecture are commonly observed throughout the lifespan of individuals with Down syndrome, a condition marked by cognitive deficits emerging within the first few months of life. While obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is known to contribute to the loss of sleep quality in Down syndrome, its relation to cognitive and behavioral impairment remains poorly understood. Method: Using ambulatory polysomnography, we measured sleep in an unreferred community-based sample of 38 individuals with Down syndrome (15 males, 23 females; mean age 9y 7mo (SD 1y 9mo), range 7-12y). Cognitive outcomes were assessed with the Arizona Cognitive Test Battery, a set of psychometric measures designed and validated for this population. Results: Among children with Down syndrome, mean Verbal IQ score (p=0.006) was 9 points lower in those with comorbid OSAS (apnea-hypopnea index >1.5) than in those without OSAS, and performance on measures of cognitive flexibility was poorer (p=0.03). In addition, those with OSAS showed increased light-stage sleep (p=0.009) at the expense of slow-wave sleep (p=0.04). Interpretation: These findings demonstrate a relation between OSAS and cognitive outcomes in Down syndrome. More work is required to fully understand the mechanisms underlying the links between poor sleep and impaired cognitive function. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of adequate sleep in typically and atypically developing populations.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84902340526&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84902340526&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/dmcn.12376
DO - 10.1111/dmcn.12376
M3 - Article
C2 - 24471822
AN - SCOPUS:84902340526
SN - 0012-1622
VL - 56
SP - 657
EP - 664
JO - Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
JF - Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
IS - 7
ER -