Abstract
Background Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) affects up to 4% of a pediatric population, with many comorbidities in the medium-long term. Functional alterations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) may explain why OSAS impacts aspects such as executive functions, memory, motor control, attention, visual-spatial skills, learning, and mood regulation. Emotional intelligence (EI) is a complex neuropsychological function that could be impaired in many clinical conditions. Purpose The aim of the study is to evaluate the difference in emotional intelligence skills among children with OSAS and healthy subjects (nOSAS). Methods 129 children (72 males; mean age 7.64 ± 1.98 years) affected by OSAS were compared to 264 non-OSAS (nOSAS) children (138 males; mean age 7.98 ± 2.13) similar for gender, age, and socioeconomic status. In order to assess the emotional quotient, the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (EQ-i:YV) was used. Results The comparison for means and standard deviation between OSAS children and nOSAS children for EQ-i:YV scores showed significant differences for Interpersonal, Adaptability, and Stress Management scales and EQ Total score. Conclusions Our findings highlighted the role of intermittent hypoxia in the genesis of the effects of sleep-related respiratory disorders, which involves also aspects different from physical impairments.
Highlights
Sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD) in children refer to several nocturnal events ranging from habitual snoring to the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and affecting up to 4% of the pediatric population, between 5 and 7 years
Emotional intelligence (EI) may be intended as a complex neuropsychological function that could be impaired in many clinical conditions
The current study investigated whether the emotional intelligence may be influenced by the intermittent hypoxia and its impact on fronto-prefrontal regions in a sample of children suffering from Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS)
Summary
Sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD) in children refer to several nocturnal events ranging from habitual snoring to the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and affecting up to 4% of the pediatric population, between 5 and 7 years.Such nocturnal respiratory disorders, since childhood and adolescence, may severely impact on cardiovascular functions [1], orofacial thrive [2], and the neuroendocrine and central nervous system [3,4,5,6].Beebe and Gozal [7] described the daytime cognitive and behavioral deficits in children affected by OSAS, pinpointed by the evidence of functional alterations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), in brain tissue integrity, and in grey matter density deficit [8, 9].On the functional level, OSAS in childhood may impair several neurocognitive functions such as executive functions, Behavioural Neurology memory, motor control, attention, and visual-spatial skills [10, 11]. Sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD) in children refer to several nocturnal events ranging from habitual snoring to the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and affecting up to 4% of the pediatric population, between 5 and 7 years. Such nocturnal respiratory disorders, since childhood and adolescence, may severely impact on cardiovascular functions [1], orofacial thrive [2], and the neuroendocrine and central nervous system [3,4,5,6]. Functional alterations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) may explain why OSAS impacts aspects such as executive functions, memory, motor control, attention, visual-spatial skills, learning, and mood regulation. Our findings highlighted the role of intermittent hypoxia in the genesis of the effects of sleep-related respiratory disorders, which involves aspects different from physical impairments
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