Current research projects in sleep disorders
Project 1: Determining the impact of snoring on blood vessel health
Around 250,000 Australian children are habitual snorers, which is a known factor in the development of cardiovascular disease and significant deficits in brain function. As such, this project is focused on determining the precise cardiovascular effects of sleep breathing disorders in children, and innovating treatments for those at greatest risk of heart and blood vessel damage.
By comparing the blood vessel health of snoring children with that of non-snoring children, we hope to determine whether treatment of snoring improves blood vessel health. So far we have observed that children who snore only have decreased blood vessel function if they also have a family history of high cholesterol, heart attacks and stroke. Our research has enabled the early identification of vascular changes in children affected by sleep breathing problems, and has led to intervention strategies that have thwarted the development of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) later on in life.
Started in 2007, this project is being carried out at the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide in collaboration with the Royal Adelaide Hospital. It is funded by a $500,000 project grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council and involves five researchers led by Dr Cameron van den Heuvel, Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Children's Research Centre, University of Adelaide.
Project 2: Evaluating current treatments for Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB)
Around 10% of children in Australia suffer from a syndrome called Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB), which includes sleep apnea (pauses in breathing during sleep) and hypopnea (slow or shallow breathing during sleep). Children with SDB are known to have significant deficits in cognitive and behavioural function, so the purpose of this project is to determine whether current treatments for SDB lead to improved cognitive performance in the short and long term.
Specifically our study will provide new long-term data on the success of treatment in reversing upper airway obstruction during sleep, and will be the first to clearly outline whether cognitive deficits associated with SDB are likely to be permanent. We have, for the first time, characterised a broad range of cognitive functions in children with SDB compared to "control" children without SDB.
Begun in 2007, our research is being carried out at the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide, in collaboration with the School of Psychology at the University of South Australia and the Pediatric Sleep Center at the University of Rome (Italy). It is funded by a $270,000 project grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council and involves eight researchers led by Associate Professor Declan Kennedy, leader of the Sleep Disorders Stream at the Children's Research Centre and thoracic and sleep physician at the Women's and Children's Hospital.
Project 3: Identifying the cause of cognitive dysfunction in children with Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB)
The purpose of this research project is to determine the role of sleep in memory consolidation and learning among children, and the exact processes that lead to impaired memory and cognitive deficits among those who suffer from Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB).
Although SDB has long been associated with significant deficits in cognitive function, no study to date has identified the precise mechanism by which this occurs. Our study will detail potential mechanisms and compare SDB children to "control" children without SDB. Results of this research will enable us to better understand the origin of cognitive and behavioural deficits in children with SBD, and develop a more effective way of identifying children with SDB and monitoring their treatment outcomes. Initial findings suggest that sleep regulates memories depending on the emotional content of a child's external environment.
Started in 2010, our research is being carried out at the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide, in partnership with the University of South Australia; the University of Rome (Italy); and the University of Notre Dame (United States). It has received pilot funding from the MS McLeod Research Foundation at the Women's and Children's Hospital, and involves eight researchers led by Dr Mark Kohler, Lecturer in Psychology at the University of South Australia and Affiliate Lecturer at the Children's Research Centre, University of Adelaide.
