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Circadian rhythm in patients with hydranencephaly
T Hashimoto1, K Fukuda, S Endo
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Tokushima School of Medicine, Japan.
Journal of Child Neurology
|April 1, 1992
Summary
Hydranencephaly disrupts sleep-circadian rhythms in infants, altering sleep cycles and hormone secretion. Development of circadian rhythms may depend on rostral brain structures, suggesting multiple human oscillators.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Hydranencephaly is a severe congenital disorder characterized by the absence of the cerebral hemispheres.
- Disruptions in circadian rhythm and sleep are common in neurological disorders, but specific impacts in hydranencephaly are not well-defined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of hydranencephaly on sleep patterns and circadian rhythms in infants.
- To examine the hormonal and physiological correlates of disturbed circadian regulation in these patients.
Main Methods:
- Case study of three infants diagnosed with hydranencephaly using neuroimaging and electrophysiology.
- Assessment of sleep architecture, including active, quiet, and indeterminate sleep.
- Monitoring of hormone secretion (cortisol, growth hormone, prolactin) and body temperature rhythms.
Main Results:
- All three infants exhibited disturbed sleep-circadian rhythms, with decreased quiet sleep and increased indeterminate sleep.
- Cortisol secretion showed altered patterns, and growth hormone secretion lacked sleep enhancement in one case.
- Body temperature circadian rhythms were inconsistently present and potentially artifactual in some cases.
Conclusions:
- Hydranencephaly significantly disrupts sleep and circadian rhythm development.
- The findings suggest that rostral brain structures, rather than just the midbrain, are crucial for circadian rhythm development.
- The study posits the existence of multiple oscillators regulating circadian rhythms in humans.