Genetic and environmental influences on sleep-wake behaviors in adolescence. (22nd October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: O'Callaghan, Victoria S; Hansell, Narelle K; Guo, Wei; Carpenter, Joanne S; Shou, Haochang; Strike, Lachlan T; Crouse, Jacob J; McAloney, Kerrie; McMahon, Katie L; Byrne, Enda M; Burns, Jane M; Martin, Nicholas G; Hickie, Ian B; Merikangas, Kathleen R; Wright, Margaret J
• Is Part Of: Sleep advances. Volume 2:Supplement 1(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-10-22
• Subjects: sleep -- adolescence -- heritability -- twins -- genetics -- actigraphy; Sleep disorders -- Periodicals; Circadian rhythms -- Periodicals; 616.8498
• DOI: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpab018
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2632-5012

Abstract

Abstract: Study Objectives: To investigate the influence of genetic and environmental factors on sleep-wake behaviors across adolescence. Methods: Four hundred and ninety-five participants (aged 9–17; 55% females), including 93 monozygotic and 117 dizygotic twin pairs, and 75 unmatched twins, wore an accelerometry device and completed a sleep diary for 2 weeks. Results: Individual differences in sleep onset, wake time, and sleep midpoint were influenced by both additive genetic (44%–50% of total variance) and shared environmental (31%–42%) factors, with a predominant genetic influence for sleep duration (62%) and restorative sleep (43%). When stratified into younger (aged 9–14) and older (aged 16–17) subsamples, genetic sources were more prominent in older adolescents. The moderate correlation between sleep duration and midpoint ( r P = −.43, r G = .54) was attributable to a common genetic source. Sleep-wake behaviors on school and nonschool nights were correlated ( r P = .44–.72) and influenced by the same genetic and unique environmental factors. Genetic sources specific to night-type were also identified, for all behaviors except restorative sleep. Conclusions: There were strong genetic influences on sleep-wake phenotypes, particularly on sleep timing, in adolescence. Moreover, there may be common genetic influences underlying both sleep and circadian rhythms. The differences in sleep-wake behaviors on school and nonschool nights could be attributable to genetic factors involved in reactivity to environmental context.