0760 Sleep Spindle Density in Generally Anxious Children and Healthy Controls. (12th April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Meers, Jessica M; Ferri, Raffaele; Bruni, Oliviero; Alfano, Candice
• Is Part Of: Sleep. Volume 42(2019)Supplement 1
• Page Start: A305
• Page End: A306
• Publication Date: 2019-04-12
• Subjects: Sleep -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; Sleep disorders -- Periodicals; Sommeil -- Aspect physiologique -- Périodiques; Sommeil, Troubles du -- Périodiques; Sleep disorders; Sleep -- Physiological aspects; Sleep -- physiological aspects; Sleep Wake Disorders; Psychophysiology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 616.8498
• DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsz067.758
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0161-8105

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Childhood generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is common, impairing, and linked with development of depression; however potential neurophysiological markers of the disorder have not been identified. Despite frequently reported sleep difficulties in children with GAD, studies using polysomnography (PSG) have largely failed to find abnormalities in sleep architecture. Investigations of 'micro' sleep features, such as sleep spindles, have not been conducted but may help to identify children at risk. An increasing number of studies reveal a link between spindle activity and emotional health. The current study compared sleep spindle activity in children with a primary GAD diagnosis to matched typically-developing controls. Association between spindle activity and symptom severity were also examined. Methods: A total of 58 children (26 with primary GAD, and 32 matched controls) aged 7-11 years (52% female) completed diagnostic assessments and one night of PSG. None of the youth with GAD met criteria for a comorbid depressive disorder and none were taking medication. The Penn State Worry Questionnaire for Children (PSWQ) was used to assess severity of worry and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) was used as a measure of overall anxiety severity. Sleep spindle activity was detected during N2 and N3 sleep via HypnoLab, software. Results: Mean spindle density was higher among children with GAD, but differences did not reach statistical significance. Linear regression models showed greater worry, but not overall anxiety, to predict greater spindle density in all children (β=.36, p =.005, R 2 =.189). Models did not change based the inclusion of diagnostic group. Conclusion: In contrast to published findings of reduced spindle activity in youth with depression and social anxiety disorder, we failed to find evidence of reduced spindle activity in children with GAD. In fact, spindle activity tended to be higher in the GAD group and was significantly associated with greater worry. GAD is uniquely characterized by persistent worry, which may represent a form of cognitive rehearsal (i.e., a process that aids in memory encoding). Thus, worry as a cognitive process might serve to increase nightly spindle activity. Support (If Any): N/A