Phasic reduction in respiratory muscle activity during rapid eye movement sleep in children

Abstract

Background: The physiological mechanism and pathways behind the control of phasic motor activity by the brainstem respiratory neuron groups is not fully understood. The presence of a common phasic-event generator which functions in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep has been proposed but is not supported by more recent animal sleep studies demonstrating a difference in respiratory and non-respiratory muscle phasic activity in REM sleep. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed polysomnography data from children aged two to five years with Down syndrome compared to children with no reported past medical history. Isolated and clusters of rapid eye movements were identified with or without the presence of decreased intercostal respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) signal amplitude. Progress to Date: Four children with no medical history had a median of 1.02 isolated rapid eye movements per minute of REM sleep. 49% of these were associated with decreased intercostal excursions. Four children with Down syndrome had a median of 1.81 isolated rapid eye movements per minute of REM sleep. 65% were associated with decreased intercostal muscle excursions. Intended Outcome and Impact: We aim to reproduce the previously described concomitant reduction in skeletal muscle activation (as a phasic loss of intercostal muscle activity) during rapid eye movements, in isolation or clusters, with REM sleep. We propose a possible neuronal pathway link at the medial longitudinal fasciculus. We also propose that low tone conditions like Down syndrome are associated with more exaggerated phasic loss of intercostal muscle activity. We intend to increase our sample size and include a group of patients with known brainstem dysfunction to contribute to the current knowledge and understanding of rapid eye movement related phasic effects on children during sleep.L6246119132018-11-01 <br />