Advice to the media
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
What
An extensive study of children has found evidence that behavioral problems in snoring children can be associated with changes in the structure of the frontal lobe of the brain. The results support early assessment of children with habitual snoring (snoring three or more nights a week). The research, published in Communications on Nature, received support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and nine 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 some small studies have reported a correlation between sleep apnea -when prolonged respiratory pauses- and certain brain changes, little is known about whether these changes contribute to the behaviors observed in some children with obstructive breathing. sleep disorder (oSDB), a group of conditions commonly associated with snoring that are characterized by resistance to breathing during sleep.
To bridge this knowledge gap, researchers led by Amal Isaiah, MD, D. Phil., Of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, took advantage of the broad and diverse data set provided by the study on the cognitive development of Adolescent Brain (ABCD), a long-term study of child health and brain development in the United States. The research team took advantage of this wealth of data from more than 11,000 9- and 10-year-olds to examine the relationships between snoring, brain structure, and behavioral problems.
Confirming the results of previous work, their statistical analysis revealed a positive correlation between habitual snoring and behavioral problems, and children who snored more frequently exhibited worse behavior according to a parental assessment. The findings further showed that snoring is related to smaller volumes from various regions of the frontal lobe of the brain, an area involved in cognitive functions such as problem solving, impulse control, and social interactions. Statistical analysis also suggested that brain differences observed in snoring children may contribute to behavioral problems, but more work needs to be done on how snoring, brain structure, and behavioral problems change over time to confirm a causal link.
The findings of this study indicate that SDB is a possible reversible cause of behavioral problems, suggesting that children will routinely be tested for snoring. Children who snore regularly may be referred for follow-up care. This care may include the evaluation and treatment of conditions that contribute to SDB, such as obesity, or the evaluation for surgical removal of adenoids and tonsils.
The ABCD study, the largest of its kind in the United States, tracks about 12,000 young people as they become young adults. Researchers 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 may improve or alter a young person’s life trajectory.
The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study and the ABCD Study are service marks and trademarks, respectively, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Article
Isaiah A, et al. Associations between frontal lobe structure, obstructive sleep disorder, and infant behavior reported by parents in the ABCD data set. Communications on Nature DOI: 10.15154 / 1520518 (2021).
WHO
Gayathri J. Dowling, Ph.D., director of the NIDA Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, is available for interviews.
Regarding the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): NIDA is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the global research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. The Institute conducts a wide variety of programs to inform policies, improve practice, and advance addiction sciences. For more information about NIDA and its programs, visit www.drugabuse.gov.
Regarding the National Institutes of Health (NIH):
NIH, the country’s medical research agency, includes 27 institutes and centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the leading federal agency that conducts and supports basic, clinical, and translational medical research and investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
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