Sleep and daytime functioning in children with tourette syndrome: A two-week case-control study with actigraphy and cognitive assessments.

There is increasing recognition of the high prevalence of sleep issues in children with Tourette syndrome (TS), a condition characterised by motor and vocal tics. Overnight polysomnography (PSG) has been the primary mode of sleep assessment in the TS literature, despite the extensive use of actigraphy in other neurodevelopmental populations. As a result, there are existing research gaps surrounding day-to-day variability of sleep in TS and links to daytime functioning. This study adopts a naturalistic, intensive longitudinal design to examine sleep in children with TS while considering potential links to tic severity and daytime functioning. Participants were 34 children aged between 8 and 12 years (12 with TS, 22 neurotypical controls). Wrist actigraphs tracked sleep-wake cycles across two weeks and a battery of scales and cognitive assessments measured sleep disturbances and daytime functioning. Mixed models using N = 476 nights of actigraphy data found that relative to controls, children with TS had significantly increased time in bed, increased sleep onset latency, reduced sleep efficiency, lower subjective sleep quality, but comparable actual sleep time. Higher self-report tic severity at bedtime did not predict increased sleep onset latency. In the sleep disturbance scale, 83.33 % of children with TS met the clinical cut-off for a sleep disorder. Parent-report emotional, behavioural, and executive difficulties were greater in the TS group relative to controls, but performance on cognitive tasks was comparable between groups. Together, findings highlight sleep disturbances as an important clinical factor to consider in the management of TS, though further research is required to substantiate findings in larger-scale studies. This study demonstrates the feasibility of assessing sleep via actigraphy in children with TS, supporting more widespread use in the future.

Ghrelin and Ang 1-7 have cumulative vasodilatory effects on pulmonary vessels.

UNLABELLED: Ghrelin is an orexigenic hormone that has been shown to have vasodilator effects. Angiotensin 1-7 (Ang 1-7) is a bioactive component of the renin-angiotensin system and may play an important role in the regulation of cardiovascular homeostasis. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction between ghrelin and a better known vasodilatator, Ang 1-7. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The dose-dependent relaxing effects of ghrelin were assessed on pulmonary artery rings of male Wistar rats with intact endothelium in the absence or the presence of Ang 1-7. Ang 1-7 was added in the organ bath with 5 minutes before N(G)-nitro L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 1 micro/M) and indomethacin administration in the presence of cumulative doses of ghrelin. RESULTS: Our results showed that Ang 1-7 could improve and restore vasorelaxant effects of ghrelin on rat pulmonary rings with intact endothelium. CONCLUSION: Vasodilatatory actions of ghrelin are potentiated by Ang 1-7 and mediated by local synthesis of prostaglandins and nitric oxide.

Adenosine involvement on bronchial reactivity modulation by diesel exhaust.

UNLABELLED: In recent decades, epidemiologic investigations have suggested a strong relationship between air pollution and an increase in the prevalence of allergic rhinitis and asthma. AIM: To investigate the possible involvement of adenosine (AD) in bronchomotor effects of diesel exhaust (DE). MATERIAL AND METHOD: Isolated bronchi from ovalbumin (OVA) sensitized rats were challenged in presence or absence of diesel exhaust extract (DEE). AD was delivered on organ bath before or after DEE, at concentrations did not produce significantly contractile effects. RESULTS: AD (0.1 microM) pre-treatment increased bronchomotor effects of DEE: amplified the bronchoconstrictor effects of OVA with more than 35% and decreased Emax of terbutaline induced bronchorelaxation of acetylcholine (Ach) preconstricted bronchial rings (up to 20%), but did not significantly modify ACh-induced contractions. OVA-induced contractions, ACh-induced contractions and terbutaline-induced relaxations have not been significantly modified as compare with DEE alone. On the other hand, DEE amplified AD (cumulative doses) contractile effects. CONCLUSION: These results confirmed our initial hypothesis that AD could partial mediate or at least, modulate DEE effects on airway reactivity.