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Updated: Feb 16, 2026
Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood
Published on: October 2, 2019
Prenatal and early postnatal measures of brain development and childhood sleep patterns
Desana Kocevska1, Maria E Verhoeff1, Selma Meinderts2
1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Insights
Prenatal and early infant head size may influence childhood sleep patterns. Larger head circumference is linked to fewer sleep problems, while larger ventricles correlate with longer sleep duration in children.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Brain development is crucial for maturing sleep patterns in children.
- Early neurodevelopment, indicated by head growth, has not been linked to childhood sleep characteristics.
- This study investigates the connection between prenatal and early postnatal neurodevelopment markers and childhood sleep.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore associations between ultrasonographic measures of prenatal and early postnatal neurodevelopment and childhood sleep characteristics.
- To determine if head circumference and lateral ventricles size in early life predict sleep duration and problems in childhood.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 6,808 children in the population-based Generation R cohort.
- Assessed head circumference (HC) and lateral ventricles size via fetal and early postnatal ultrasounds.
- Collected parent-reported data on children's sleep duration and problems at various ages (1.5 to 6 years).
Main Results:
- Larger lateral ventricles were associated with longer sleep duration at age 3.
- Larger head circumference (HC) in mid-pregnancy and early infancy was linked to a reduced risk of being a "problematic sleeper" up to age 6.
- Effect estimates were small, but statistically significant.
Conclusions:
- Variations in fetal and neonatal brain size may influence the behavioral expression of sleep in childhood.
- These findings suggest potential neurodevelopmental origins for childhood sleep patterns.
- Early neurodevelopmental markers could serve as indicators for later sleep behavior.
Abstract:
BackgroundBrain development underlies maturation of sleep patterns throughout childhood. Intrauterine head growth-marker of early neurodevelopment-has not been associated with childhood sleep characteristics. We explored associations between ultrasonographic measures of prenatal and early postnatal neurodevelopment and childhood sleep.MethodsA total of 6,808 children from a population-based birth cohort (Generation R) were included. Head circumference (HC) and lateral ventricles size were assessed with mid- and late-pregnancy fetal ultrasounds, and with cranial ultrasound 3-20 weeks postnatally. Mothers reported children's sleep duration at 2 and 3 years, and sleep problems at 1.5, 3, and 6 years.ResultsLarger ventricular size, but not HC, was related to longer sleep duration at 3 years (β=0.06 h, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.02; 0.10 in late-pregnancy and β=0.11 h, 95% CI: 0.02; 0.20 in early infancy, mid-pregnancy parameters were unrelated to sleep duration). Larger HC in mid-pregnancy was associated with a reduced risk for being a "problematic sleeper" up to the age of 6 years (odds ratio (OR): 0.94, 95% CI: 0.89; 0.99). Consistently, children with larger HC in early infancy were less likely to be "problematic sleepers" at 3 and 6 years.ConclusionsThis study shows that variations in fetal and neonatal brain size may underlie behavioral expression of sleep in childhood. Albeit small effect estimates, these associations provide evidence for neurodevelopmental origins of sleep.
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