Media advice
Tuesday 13 April 2021
What
A large study of children has discovered evidence that behavioral problems in children who snore may be associated with changes in the structure of the anterior lobe of their brain. The findings support early evaluation of children with normal snoring (snoring three or more nights per week). The research, published in Nature communication, is supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and nine other institutes, centers and offices of the National Institutes of Health.
Large, population-based studies have established a clear link between snoring and behavioral problems, such as inattention or hyperactivity, but the exact nature of this relationship is not fully understood. Although a few small studies have reported a correlation between sleep apnea – if the breathing pauses are longer – and certain brain changes, little is known about whether these changes contribute to the behavior seen in some children with obstructive breathing (oSDB), a group of conditions usually accompanied by snoring, characterized by resistance to breathing during sleep.
To address this knowledge gap, researchers led by Amal Isaiah, MD, D.Phil., Of the University of Maryland School of Medicine used the large and diverse data set presented by the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, a long-term study of child health and brain development in the United States. The research team exploited this wealth of data from more than 11,000 9- and 10-year-olds to investigate the link between snoring, brain structure and behavioral problems.
Confirming the results of previous work, their statistical analysis showed a positive correlation between normal snoring and behavioral problems, with the children most snoring showing mostly worse behavior according to an assessment completed by parents. The findings further showed that snoring was linked to smaller volumes from various regions of the anterior lobe of the brain, an area involved in cognitive functions such as problem solving, impulse control, and social interactions. The statistical analysis also suggested that the brain differences seen in children who snore may contribute to behavioral problems, but additional work on how snoring, brain structure, and behavioral problems change over time is needed to confirm a causal link.
The findings of this study point to oSDB as a possible reversible cause of behavioral problems, suggesting that children are regularly screened for snoring. Children who usually snore can then be referred for follow-up care. Such care may include assessment and treatment for conditions contributing to oSDB, such as obesity, or evaluation for surgical removal of the adenoids and tonsils.
The ABCD study, the largest of its kind in the United States, monitors nearly 12,000 young people as they grow into young adults. Investigators regularly measure participants’ brain structure and activity using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, and collect psychological, environmental, and cognitive information, as well as biological samples. The aim of the study is to define standards for normal brain and cognitive development and to identify factors that can improve or disrupt a young person’s career path.
The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study and ABCD Study are service marks and registered trademarks of the US Department of Health and Human Services, respectively.
Article
Isaiah A, et al. Associations between frontal lobe structure, obstructive sleep disturbance breathing by parents and the behavior of children in the ABCD dataset. Nature communication DOI: 10.15154 / 1520518 (2021).
Who
Gayathri J. Dowling, Ph.D., director of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, at NIDA is available for interviews.
About the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): NIDA is part of the National Institutes of Health, the US Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. The Institute implements a wide range of programs to inform policy, improve practice, and promote addiction science. Visit www.drugabuse.gov for more information on NIDA and its programs.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):
NIH, the country’s medical research agency, contains 27 institutes and centers and is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency that conducts and supports basic, clinical, and translational medical research, investigating the causes, treatments, and drugs for common and rare diseases. Visit www.nih.gov for more information on NIH and its programs.
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