The role of non-respiratory arousals in residual daytime sleepiness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea treated with positive airway pressure: An analysis of the European Sleep Apnea Database registry.

Study Objectives: To assess the impact of the non-respiratory arousal burden at baseline polysomnography (PSG) on residual daytime sleepiness in positive airway pressure (PAP)-treated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Methods: We included OSA patients from the European Sleep Apnea Database registry with available arousal data who had at least 2 treatment follow-up visits. The primary outcome was the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score under PAP.

Imperatives and co-benefits of research into climate change and neurological disease.

Evidence suggests that anthropogenic climate change is accelerating and is affecting human health globally. Despite urgent calls to address health effects in the context of the additional challenges of environmental degradation, biodiversity loss and ageing populations, the effects of climate change on specific health conditions are still poorly understood. Neurological diseases contribute substantially to the global burden of disease, and the possible direct and indirect consequences of climate change for people with these conditions are a cause for concern.

The bright and dark side of blue-enriched light on sleep and activity in older adults.

Low indoor light in urban housing can disrupt health and wellbeing, especially in older adults who experience reduced light sensitivity and sleep/circadian disruptions with natural aging. While controlled studies suggest that enhancing indoor lighting may alleviate the negative effects of reduced light sensitivity, evidence for this to be effective in the real world is lacking. This study investigates the effects of two light conditions on actigraphic rest-activity rhythms and subjective sleep in healthy older adults (≥ 60 years) living at home.

Evaluating the Differential Effects of Dopamine Agonists and Clonazepam on Large Muscle Group Movements in Restless Legs Syndrome.

Study Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of dopamine agonists (DA) and Clonazepam on Large Muscle Group Movements during sleep (LMM), a distinct motor phenomenon, in Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS).

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 51 drug-free adult patients with RLS, divided into three groups: 33 received a DA (pramipexole or ropinirole), 15 received clonazepam, and 18 received a placebo. Each patient underwent two consecutive nocturnal polysomnographic (PSG) recordings: one baseline and one following treatment administration.

Sleep and circadian disturbances in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Sleep is essential for brain development and overall health, particularly in children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Sleep disruptions can considerably impact brain structure and function, leading to dysfunction of neurotransmitter systems, metabolism, hormonal balance and inflammatory processes, potentially contributing to the pathophysiology of NDDs. This Review examines the prevalence, types and mechanisms of sleep disturbances in children with NDDs, including autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and various genetic syndromes.

REM sleep atonia in patients with pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS): implications for pathophysiology.

Study Objectives: Sleep disorders and/or disordered sleep represent common clinical presentations of pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS), occurring in up to 80% of affected children, with REM sleep motor disinhibition being a prevalent feature. To date, limited polysomnographic (PSG) studies have been conducted. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the PSG characteristics of a cohort of children with PANS, focusing particularly on REM sleep without atonia (RSWA) as assessed by the REM atonia index (RAI), and to compare these characteristics with those of a control group.

A comparative study of depressive and anxiety symptoms, insomnia, and sleepiness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, or both (CO-ROSA): preliminary findings from a retrospective study.

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), restless legs syndrome (RLS), or both may exhibit varied manifestations of depressive and anxiety symptomatology, reflecting the complex interplay between sleep disturbances, neurotransmitter imbalances, and psychosocial stressors in these often overlapping conditions. The aim of this study was to compare depressive and anxiety symptomatology, insomnia severity, and sleepiness in these conditions. Patients were enrolled and subdivided into those with OSA, RLS, and OSA + RLS.

Daily rhythm in DNA methylation and the effect of total sleep deprivation.

Numerous hormones and genes exhibit diurnal 24-hr rhythms that can also be affected by sleep deprivation. Here we studied diurnal rhythms in DNA methylation under a 24-hr sleep/wake cycle and a subsequent 29 hr of continual wakefulness (1 night of sleep deprivation). Fifteen healthy men (19-35 years) spent 3 days/nights in a sleep laboratory: (1) adaptation; (2) baseline; (3) total sleep deprivation day/night.

Benefits of nostalgic landmarks for people living with Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Emerging literature shows that nostalgia induced by autobiographical reflection and music confers psychological benefits to people living with dementia.

Objective: Our objective was to test the potential benefits of nostalgic landmarks for people living with Alzheimer's disease.

Methods: We displayed the landmarks as wall-mounted pictures within a virtual environment.

Short-term changes in human metabolism following a 5-h delay of the light-dark and behavioral cycle.

Experimental inversion of circadian and behavioral rhythms by 12 h adversely affects markers of metabolic health. We investigated the effects of a more modest 5-h delay in behavioral cycles. Fourteen participants completed an 8-day in-patient laboratory protocol, with controlled sleep-wake opportunities, light-dark cycles, and diet.

A Descriptive Study of Pulmonary Function Comparison Between Spot Welding and Assembly Line Workers in a Large Automotive Factory in Iran.

Background: This study seeks to define the pulmonary function of a considerably large group in one of the largest automotive companies in Iran. The aim of this study was to compare the two groups of spot-welding (exposed) and assembly line (unexposed) workers in terms of pulmonary function and conclude the probable impacts of metal fumes on pulmonary function in the two groups.

Methods: A total of 1,798 spot-welding personnel and 2,160 assembly line personnel were compared in terms of pulmonary function.

Exposing 24-hour cycles in bile acids of male humans.

Bile acids are trans-genomic molecules arising from the concerted metabolism of the human host and the intestinal microbiota and are important for digestion, energy homeostasis and metabolic regulation. While diurnal variation has been demonstrated in the enterohepatic circulation and the gut microbiota, existing human data are poorly resolved, and the influence of the host circadian system has not been determined. Using entrained laboratory protocols, we demonstrate robust daily rhythms in the circulating bile acid pool in healthy male participants.

Sex-specific changes in sleep quality with aging: Insights from wearable device analysis.

Prior studies evaluating sleep quality have found that women often have better polysomnography-defined sleep quality than men, but women subjectively report a greater frequency of sleep disturbances. Although these studies can be partially attributed to study design, it is currently unclear what may be causing these discrepancies. In this study, we aim to identify potential differences in objectively assessed sleep quality between men and women with further emphasis on subgroup analysis based on age.

Temporal and sleep stage-dependent agreement in manual scoring of respiratory events.

Obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis is based on the manual scoring of respiratory events. The agreement in the manual scoring of the respiratory events lacks an in-depth investigation as most of the previous studies reported only the apnea-hypopnea index or overall agreement, and not temporal, second-by-second or event subtype agreement. We hypothesized the temporal and subtype agreement to be low because the event duration or subtypes are not generally considered in current clinical practice.

Housing and Husbandry Factors Affecting Zebrafish () Novel Tank Test Responses: A Global Multi-Laboratory Study.

The reproducibility crisis in bioscience, characterized by inconsistent study results, impedes our understanding of biological processes and global collaborative studies offer a unique solution. This study is the first global collaboration using the zebrafish () novel tank test, a behavioral assay for anxiety-like responses. We analyzed data from 20 laboratories worldwide, focusing on housing conditions and experimental setups.

Nightshift Rotation Schedule and Fatigue in U.K. and Italian Nurses.

Background: Whether hours on shift might impact adaptation to night shift work is still controversial.

Methods: We conducted a pooled analysis of two studies, including 170 hospital nurses working night shifts, 116 from a United Kingdom study working 12-hour rotating shifts, and 54 from Italy working 8-hour shifts. Both studies used the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) to detect sleepiness during routine daytime activities as an indicator of fatigue.

The effect of laboratory diet and feeding on growth parameters in juvenile zebrafish.

Despite being one of the most used laboratory species in biomedical, behavioral and physiological research, the nutritional requirements of zebrafish (Danio rerio) are poorly understood, and no standardized laboratory diet exists. Diet and feeding regimen can substantially impact the welfare of the fish and, in turn, experimental reproducibility. Consequently, the establishment of a standardized diet and feeding protocol for laboratory zebrafish is imperative to enhance animal welfare, guarantee research reproducibility and advance the economic and environmental sustainability of laboratory dietary practices.

The British Sleep Society position statement on Daylight Saving Time in the UK.

There is an ongoing debate in the United Kingdom and in other countries about whether twice-yearly changes into and out of Daylight Saving Time should be abolished. Opinions are divided about whether any abolition of Daylight Saving Time should result in permanent Standard Time, or year-long Daylight Saving Time. The British Sleep Society concludes from the available scientific evidence that circadian and sleep health are affected negatively by enforced changes of clock time (especially in a forward direction) and positively by the availability of natural daylight during the morning.

Protocol for investigating light/dark locomotion in larval stage zebrafish using a standardized behavioral assay.

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae offer a unique avenue for high-throughput in vivo investigation. The light/dark locomotor assay is widely used but lacks experimental consistency. Here, we present a protocol for a standardized light/dark assay by describing the steps for plating, acclimatizing larvae, performing the assay, and preparing drug exposure solutions.