Heightened beta EEG activity during nonrapid eye movement sleep in primary insomnia patients with reports of childhood maltreatment.

The present study explores the relationship between childhood maltreatment experiences and spectral power in high-frequency EEG activity during sleep in a sample of adults experiencing primary insomnia. Forty-five nontreated patients with primary insomnia spent three consecutive nights in the sleep laboratory, during which polysomnographic recordings were carried out. Nonrapid eye movement and rapid eye movement EEG data were analyzed using spectral analysis. In addition, each participant completed several self-report questionnaires assessing maltreatment in childhood and adolescence, current level of stress, and current depressivity. Insomnia patients with self-reported history of moderate to severe childhood maltreatment (MAL group; n = 25), as measured by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, were compared with insomnia patients without such a history (non-MAL group; n = 20). The MAL group exhibited more absolute and relative beta 1 and beta 2 power in nonrapid eye movement sleep and more absolute beta 1 and beta 2 activity in rapid eye movement sleep than the non-MAL group. Contrary to hypothesis, no group differences were found in gamma frequency band. The results suggest an association between history of childhood maltreatment and increased beta EEG activity particularly during nonrapid eye movement sleep in adult insomnia, what may reflect heightened psychophysiologic arousal during sleep.

Adverse childhood experiences associated with sleep in primary insomnia.

The objectives were to explore the association between self-reported adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and sleep in adults suffering from primary insomnia and to examine the impact of presleep stress on this relationship. Fifty-nine patients with primary insomnia, aged 21-55 years, were administered the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and then divided into two groups according to the achieved scores: with moderate/severe or low/no reports of ACE. The participants spent three consecutive nights in the sleep laboratory in order to record polysomnographic and actigraphic sleep parameters. A stress induction technique was administered by activating negative autobiographical memories immediately before sleep in the second or third night. Results show that 46% of the insomniac patients reported moderate to severe ACE. This group exhibited a significantly greater number of awakenings and more movement arousals compared to patients with low or no reports of ACE. Actigraphic data also indicated more disturbed sleep and increased nocturnal activity for the high-ACE group. On the other hand, no specific group differences were found with regard to stress condition. The results support the assumption that it is possible to identify a subgroup among patients with primary insomnia who has experienced severe maltreatment in childhood and adolescence. This subgroup appears to differ in several sleep parameters, indicating a more disturbed sleep compared to primary insomniacs with low or no reports of ACE. With regard to sleep-disturbing nightly patterns of arousal, parallels between individuals with high ACE and trauma victims as well as post-traumatic stress disorder-patients suggest themselves.

Increased nocturnal activity associated with adverse childhood experiences in patients with primary insomnia.

The present study examined to what extent adverse childhood experiences (ACE), in addition to demographic characteristics, current level of stress, depression, and arousability predisposition, are associated with sleep measures in adult insomnia. Thirty-nine adults suffering from primary insomnia completed self-report questionnaires assessing ACE, current level of stress, predisposition towards increased arousability, and depression. They were monitored for 7 consecutive nights at home with wrist actigraphs to evaluate objective sleep-related activity. Blockwise multiple regression analyses were performed to determine which variables were the most important predictors of sleep measures. ACE proved to be important predictors of actigraphically assessed sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, number of body movements, and moving time, whereas the set of the remaining variables had no significant impact on these sleep measures. These findings suggest that there is an association between childhood maltreatment history and sleep in patients with primary insomnia. We presume that sleep-related nightly activity can be regarded as an aftereffect of long-lasting stressful experiences in childhood.

Psychosocial determinants of smoking in Swiss adolescents with special reference to school stress and social capital in schools.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the major psychosocial determinants of smoking in adolescents and the school influence on these determinants. METHODS: Cross-sectional questionnaire survey in 8th grade (age 14.8 years, n = 459) of 14 schools. Logistic regression with smoking as the dependent, and psychosocial indicators as independent variables. Total climate score for each school computed as the sum of scores of five school-related indicators. Linear regression analysis on aggregate data (school level), controlling for gender, ethnicity, and social class. RESULTS: Five out of 15 tested psychosocial indicators were identified as independent protective factors. The prevalence of smoking decreased steeply with an increasing number of protective factors. In the regression analysis on the aggregate level the mean number of protective factors per school and the prevalence of smoking were significantly related to the school climate score (R2 = 0.650, p < 0.001, and R2 = 0.456, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Provided a causal interpretation of the cross-sectional statistical associations is correct, efforts to improve the general climate in schools appear as a promising strategy to enhance individual protective factors. Longitudinal evaluative studies are needed to prove the effectiveness of such a strategy.