New study examines brain activity associated with sleep apnea

By Staff Writer

Some children who suffer from sleep apnea struggle with their academics because they are restless and inattentive during the day. In addition, kids who have trouble sleeping may also develop behavioral and emotional problems, such as irritability or depression.

However, researchers from the University of Toronto have made a discovery that may lead to an effective treatment for sleep apnea. The study appears in the Journal of Neuroscience. Researchers induced severe sleep apnea in sedated mice in order to examine brain activity that occurs when breathing is temporarily suspended.

Researchers found that repeated apneas caused the brain to trigger more forceful contraction of the respiroratory muscles, which could explain the heavy snoring that occurs among people with the disorder. They found that the chemical noradrenaline is required to help enhance breathing during apneas.

The study's authors said that these findings, which indicate that higher noreadrenaline levels can improve breathing, may lead to the development of a prescribed medicine to treat sleep apnea.

Adolescents who develop emotional problems because of sleep disorders may benefit from wilderness therapy programs, which aim to provide help for troubled teens.