Relationship between sleep, sleep apnea, and neuropsychological function in children with Down syndrome.

Purpose: To determine whether sleep and sleep disordered breathing (SDB) contribute to the neuropsychological deficits of patients with Down syndrome, and whether treatment of SDB results in improvement in cognitive function.

Methods: In this cohort study, 25 children with Down syndrome underwent overnight polysomnography (PSG), Multiple Sleep Latency Testing (MSLT), and a battery of neuropsychological tests. Patients with SDB underwent a follow up PSG after treatment.