Sleep in Offspring of Parents With Mood Disorders

Abstract

Background: Sleep problems in childhood are an early predictor of mood disorders among individuals at high familial risk. However, the majority of the research has focused on sleep disturbances in already diagnosed individuals and has largely neglected investigating potential differences between weeknight and weekend sleep in high-risk offspring. This study examined sleep parameters in offspring of parents with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder during both weeknights and weekends. Methods: We used actigraphy, sleep diaries, and questionnaires to measure several sleep characteristics in 73 offspring aged 4–19 years: 23 offspring of a parent with major depressive disorder, 22 offspring of a parent with bipolar disorder, and 28 control offspring. Results: Offspring of parents with major depressive disorder slept, on average, 26 min more than control offspring on weeknights (95% confidence interval, 3 to 49 min, p = 0.027). Offspring of parents with bipolar disorder slept, on average, 27 min more on weekends than on weeknights compared to controls, resulting in a significant family history × weekend interaction (95% confidence interval, 7 to 47 min, p = 0.008). Conclusions: Sleep patterns in children and adolescents were related to the psychiatric diagnosis of their parent(s). Future follow-up of these results may clarify the relations between early sleep differences and the risk of developing mood disorders in individuals at high familial risk.

Neurobiological and behavioral mechanisms of circadian rhythm disruption in bipolar disorder: A critical multi‐disciplinary literature review and agenda for future research from the ISBD task force on chronobiology

“…In 28 OSC, 13 OSBD, 23 OS of parents with MDD (OSMD), sleep duration was longest in OSMD. Sleep duration was significantly longer in OSBD versus OSC, but only over weekends and not during weekdays 83 . In a study of depressed adolescents, OSBD had a significantly longer sleep duration and greater daytime dysfunction compared to OSC 84 and were more likely to report hypersomnia, and increased appetite 85 .…”

“…Sleep duration was significantly longer in OSBD versus OSC, but only over weekends and not during weekdays. 83 In a study of depressed adolescents, OSBD had a significantly longer sleep duration and greater daytime dysfunction compared to OSC 84 and were more likely to report hypersomnia, and increased appetite. 85 With respect to sleep mechanisms of mood regulation, shorter sleep duration in adolescent OSBD was selectively associated with increased activity in brain reward circuits.…”

Maternal Interaction With Infants Among Women at Elevated Risk for Postpartum Depression

“…Depression in women during the perinatal period is reliably associated with elevated risk for the development of a broad range of adverse outcomes in offspring, beginning during infancy ( Goodman and Lusby, 2014 ) and throughout development ( Stein et al, 2014 ). Research indicates that children of mothers with bipolar depression are at particular risk of psychopathology and varied developmental problems ( Lau et al, 2018 ), including mood and sleeping disorders ( Sandstrom et al, 2019 ; Wescott et al, 2019 ). Among women with a preterm, low birth weight infant, PPD has also been linked to the child’s emotional and behavioral problems ( Gueron-Sela et al, 2015 ; Kleine et al, 2021 ), including depressive and anxiety disorders ( Weiss and Leung, 2021 ).…”

Mother-to-Infant Bonding in Women With a Bipolar Spectrum Disorder

“…Children of mothers with bipolar spectrum disorder are a highrisk group to develop psychopathology later in life. Offspring of parents with bipolar disorder are not only at an increased risk of developing a mood disorder later in life (1,2), but also other disorders such as anxiety disorders (2) and sleeping disorders (3,4). Bipolar disorder has an impact on general child developmental outcomes of the offspring (e.g., motor quality (5), cognition (visual and verbal memory, processing speed, attention) (6), intellectual functioning after the onset of bipolar disorder (7) and psychosocial development [e.g., work, interpersonal relations, recreation, global functioning (8)].…”