Despite the small number of children initially tested, the strength of that correlation did show some promise as a predictor of sleepiness and reduced attention.
The researchers are now studying more children. Confirmation of their initial findings could help to answer questions about how sleep apnea leads to daytime sleepiness.
"This could give us insight into the physiology of how sleep apnea causes sleep disruption, daytime sleepiness, attention deficit and behavioral problems," Chervin says. "Currently, we think sleepiness arises because apneas cause arousals that we can easily see in brain wave patterns. Maybe these obvious, full arousals are less important than thousands of briefer arousals, or microarousals, that can only be detected by computers. If we could prove this, we might improve our ability to identify who has a serious sleep and breathing problem and who might benefit from treatment."
In addition to Chervin and Burns, researchers included Deborah L. Ruzicka, RN, Ph.D., of the UMHS Sleep Disorders Center, and Nikolas S. Subotic, Ph.D., Christopher Roussi, MS., and Brian Thelen, Ph.D., from Emerging Technologies Group at Altarum Institute.
The University of Michigan and Altarum Institute have filed a provisional patent application on the signal-analysis algorithm used to track changes in the brain during the respiratory cycle. Funding for the study came from the National Institutes of Health, the University of Michigan General Clinical Research Center, and the nonprofit Altarum Institute.
'"/>
Contact: Nicole Fawcett
nfawcett@umich.edu
734-764-2220
University of Michigan Health System
3-Feb-2004