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Apnoea suppresses brain activity in infants.
Coen S Zandvoort1, Anneleen Dereymaeker2, Luke Baxter1
1Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Imaging Neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.)
|August 13, 2025
Summary
Apnoea, or cessation of breathing, in premature infants significantly reduces brain activity (EEG amplitude). These breathing pauses, even short ones, impact heart rate and oxygen saturation, potentially affecting infant neurodevelopment.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Physiology
- Neurodevelopmental Science
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Apnoea is common in premature infants, potentially impacting cerebral oxygenation and neurodevelopment.
- The precise effects of apnoea and shorter breathing pauses on infant brain function remain incompletely understood.
- Understanding these impacts is crucial for elucidating mechanisms of impaired brain development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of apnoea and short breathing pauses on brain activity in premature infants.
- To explore associations between changes in brain activity and physiological parameters during breathing events.
Main Methods:
- Simultaneous recordings of respiration, electroencephalography (EEG), heart rate, and oxygen saturation were analyzed.
- Data from 118 infants (post-menstrual age 38.6 ± 2.7 weeks) during apnoeas (>15s) and short pauses (5-15s) were examined.
- EEG amplitude changes were correlated with physiological changes and infant characteristics.
Main Results:
- EEG amplitude significantly decreased during both apnoeas and short breathing pauses compared to normal breathing.
- EEG amplitude changes correlated with heart rate changes during both types of pauses.
- During apnoeas, EEG amplitude changes also correlated with oxygen saturation changes.
Conclusions:
- Apnoea and short breathing pauses in premature infants lead to significant reductions in EEG amplitude, indicating disrupted brain activity.
- These disruptions are linked to concurrent changes in heart rate and oxygen saturation.
- Frequent disruptions may negatively impact neural development and contribute to long-term neurodevelopmental issues in preterm infants.
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