Early polysomnographic characteristics associated with neurocognitive development at 36 months of age
Résumé
Background. Few studies on the relationship between sleep quantity and/or quality and
cognition have been conducted among preschoolers from the healthy general population. We
aimed at identifying, among 3-year-old children, early polysomnography (PSG) sleep factors
associated with intelligence quotient (IQ) estimated using the Weschler Preschool and
Primary Scale Intelligence-III test (WPPSI-III) and its indicators: full-scale (FISQ), verbal
(VIQ), and performance (PIQ) intelligence quotients.
Methods. We included full-term children from the French birth-cohort AuBE with both PSG
recording at term (M0) or 6 months (M6) and available WPPSI-III scores at 3 years. Sleep
and arousal characteristics of these infants were evaluated during day and night sleep periods.
Relationships between IQ scores and sleep parameters were estimated using models with
child as repeated effect adjusted for time (night/day), maturation (M0/M6), tobacco exposure
(yes/no), anxiety depressive scores during pregnancy, maternal age, duration of breastfeeding
and child gender.
Results. A total of 118 PSG recordings were included, representing a total 78 unique children
(38 with one PSG and 40 with 2 PSG). No correlations were found between night and day
sleep durations at M0 or M6. Mean VIQ, PIQ, and FSIQ scores were within normal ranges. In
multivariate models, longer sleep duration, higher sleep efficiency during day were negatively
associated with all IQ scores. More frequent arousals during night were associated with lower
VIQ scores.
Conclusion. Early sleep characteristics such as night sleep fragmentation or longer naps
could be associated with impaired cognitive function at 3 years of age.