Impairments in Attention in Occasionally Snoring Children: An Event-Related Potential Study

• Published in: Developmental neuropsychology Vol. 34; no. 5; pp. 629 - 649
• Main Authors: Barnes, Maria E., Huss, Elizabeth A., Garrod, Krista N., Van Raay, Eric, Dayyat, Ehab, Gozal, David, Molfese, Dennis L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis Group 01.01.2009; Psychology Press
• Subjects: Age Distribution; Attention; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - epidemiology; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - physiopathology; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - psychology; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Case-Control Studies; Child; Children & youth; Comorbidity; Electroencephalography; Evoked Potentials; Female; Humans; Male; Neuropsychological Tests; Neuropsychology; Parents; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Regression analysis; Sensory perception; Sleep disorders; Snoring - epidemiology; Snoring - physiopathology; Snoring - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 8756-5641; 1532-6942
• DOI: 10.1080/87565640903133632

Objective: To determine whether minimal snoring is benign in children. Procedure: 22 rarely snoring children (mean age = 6.9 years, 11 females) and age- and sex-matched controls participated in an auditory oddball task wearing 128-electrode nets. Parents completed the Conners Parent Rating Scales-Revised Long (CPRS-R:L). Results: Snorers scored significantly higher on four CPRS-R:L subscales. Stepwise regression indicated that two ERP variables from a region of the ERP that peaked at 844 msec post-stimulus onset predicted CPRS-R:L Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Index scores. Conclusions: Occasional snorers, according to parental report, do exhibit ADHD-like behaviors. Basic sensory processing is longer than in controls, suggesting that delayed frontal activation requires more effort in snorers.