Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2012 Feb;37(2):238-48. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.06.008. Epub 2011 Jul 13.
Sleep problems are associated with reduced physical and mental health. Altered function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPAA) may be one underlying mechanism. We studied the associations between sleep problems and HPAA activity in children.
A cross-sectional epidemiological cohort study.
Salivary cortisol was sampled throughout one day at home and during the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-C) in clinic. Sleep disorders were measured with a parent-rated Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children, and sleep duration measured by actigraphy for one week.
284 (51% girls) 8-year-old children.
Boys with sleep problems (≥ 85 th percentile in any of the sleep-wake transition, arousal, excessive daytime somnolence or sleep hyperhydrosis subscales) had lower diurnal salivary cortisol levels and salivary cortisol responses to TSST-C stress in comparison to boys without sleep problems. Girls with sleep problems (≥ 85 th percentile in disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep) displayed a higher overall level of salivary cortisol during the TSST-C. Salivary cortisol responses to stress were lower in boys and higher in girls with more than one sleep problem.
Sleep problems in children are associated with altered HPAA function, after controlling for actual sleep quantity measured by actigraphy. Boys with sleep problems had lower HPAA activity and girls with sleep problems had higher HPAA activity, compared to children without sleep problems.
睡眠问题与身心健康状况下降有关。下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴（HPAA）功能改变可能是其中的一个潜在机制。我们研究了儿童睡眠问题与 HPAA 活性之间的关系。
一项横断面的流行病学队列研究。
在家中全天和在诊所进行儿童应激测试（TSST-C）期间采集唾液皮质醇样本。睡眠障碍通过父母评定的儿童睡眠障碍量表进行测量，一周内的睡眠时长通过活动记录仪进行测量。
284 名（51%为女孩）8 岁儿童。
与无睡眠问题的男孩相比，有睡眠问题（任何睡眠-觉醒转换、觉醒、日间过度嗜睡或睡眠多汗亚量表中≥85 百分位数）的男孩日间唾液皮质醇水平较低，对 TSST-C 应激的唾液皮质醇反应较低。有睡眠问题（入睡和维持睡眠障碍≥85 百分位数）的女孩在 TSST-C 期间整体唾液皮质醇水平较高。与无睡眠问题的儿童相比，有一个以上睡眠问题的男孩应激后的皮质醇反应较低，而女孩的皮质醇反应较高。
在通过活动记录仪测量实际睡眠量进行控制后，儿童的睡眠问题与 HPAA 功能改变有关。与无睡眠问题的儿童相比，有睡眠问题的男孩 HPAA 活性较低，而有睡眠问题的女孩 HPAA 活性较高。
