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Sleep-wake cycle phenotypes in young people with familial and non-familial mood disorders

Jan Scott1, Sharon Naismith2, Ashlee Grierson3

  • 1Academic Psychiatry, Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK.

Bipolar Disorders
|November 25, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Individuals with a family history of bipolar disorder (BD) show distinct sleep patterns, including shorter sleep duration and increased disturbances. These findings highlight the potential for personalized interventions targeting sleep-wake cycles in at-risk youth.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with sleep disturbances.
  • Offspring of parents with BD, individuals at clinical high risk, and those with recent onset BD may exhibit unique sleep-wake profiles.
  • Distinguishing familial traits from current mental state or mood disorder subtypes is crucial for understanding BD pathophysiology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate objective and subjective sleep-wake profiles in adolescents and young adults (15-25 years) with a major depressive episode.
  • To compare sleep patterns between individuals with a family history of BD (FH+) and those without (FH-).
  • To identify sleep-wake characteristics associated with familial risk for BD.

Main Methods:

  • Frequency matching was used to compare FH+ and FH- groups.
  • Objective sleep data were collected using actigraphy.
  • Subjective sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).
  • Statistical analysis involved one-way ANOVA with Benjamini-Hochberg correction.

Main Results:

  • The study included 60 participants (mean age 19 years), with 12 FH+ and 48 FH-.
  • Significant differences were observed in mean weeknight sleep duration (P=.049).
  • Variability in waking after sleep onset (P=.038) and daily disturbances (PSQI sleep disturbance/daytime dysfunction, P=.01) were also significantly different between groups.

Conclusions:

  • The identified sleep profiles, particularly daily disturbances, support research into endophenotypes for BD.
  • Findings suggest potential for personalized interventions targeting specific sleep-wake cycle components in individuals with a family history of BD.
  • Objective and subjective sleep measures can differentiate individuals at familial risk for BD.
Abstract

Keywords:
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)actigraphybiomarkersbipolar disordercircadianfamilialoffspringphenotypessleepsleep homeostasisunipolar disordervariability

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