Sleep Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide For Transitioning Pediatric To Adult Care Amir Sharafkhaneh (Editor) Download PDF
Sleep Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide For Transitioning Pediatric To Adult Care Amir Sharafkhaneh (Editor) Download PDF
Sleep Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide For Transitioning Pediatric To Adult Care Amir Sharafkhaneh (Editor) Download PDF
com
https://ebookmeta.com/product/sleep-medicine-a-
comprehensive-guide-for-transitioning-pediatric-
to-adult-care-amir-sharafkhaneh-editor/
OR CLICK BUTTON
DOWLOAD EBOOK
https://ebookmeta.com/product/a-sleep-guide-for-the-mature-
adult-1st-edition-joyce-a-walsleben/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/comprehensive-critical-care-
adult-2nd-edition-pamela-r-roberts/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/pediatric-and-adult-hand-fractures-
a-clinical-guide-to-management-joshua-m-abzug-editor/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/a-comprehensive-guide-to-
nanoparticles-in-medicine-1st-edition-rituparna-acharya/
Spine Pain Care A Comprehensive Clinical Guide Jianren
Mao
https://ebookmeta.com/product/spine-pain-care-a-comprehensive-
clinical-guide-jianren-mao/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/case-studies-in-adult-intensive-
care-medicine-1st-edition-daniele-bryden/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/hospice-and-palliative-care-for-
companion-animals-2nd-amir-shanan/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/pediatric-psychopharmacology-for-
primary-care-3rd-edition-mark-a-riddle/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/essentials-of-sleep-medicine-a-
practical-approach-to-patients-with-sleep-complaints-m-safwan-
badr-editor/
Sleep
Medicine
A Comprehensive Guide
for Transitioning Pediatric
to Adult Care
Amir Sharafkhaneh
David Gozal
Editors
123
Sleep Medicine
Amir Sharafkhaneh • David Gozal
Editors
Sleep Medicine
A Comprehensive Guide
for Transitioning Pediatric to Adult Care
Editors
Amir Sharafkhaneh David Gozal
Department of Medicine University of Missouri School of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine Department of Child Health and the Child
Houston, TX, USA Health Research Institute
Columbia, MO, USA
This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG
The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Foreword
I am very pleased to write a foreword for this new publication on the need for seam-
less transitions from pediatric sleep medicine to adult sleep medicine especially as
I think that the area has been neglected when compared to other aspects of sleep
medicine.
When many experts are asked “why do we sleep” a common introduction to their
answer is that we still don’t know why. My own response is that we do indeed know
why, and the role of sleep in the fetus and growing infant and child gives us the most
robust and tangible high-level understanding of why. My response to the expert’s
“don’t know” answer is to ask the corollary question, “why do we wake up?” My
answer to the original question is that “we sleep so that we can wake up!”
The centrality of the brain in sleep was captured in a quote from the leading sleep
researcher, Allan Hobson [1]: “Sleep is of the brain, by the brain and for the brain,”
a quote borrowed from the famous Gettysburg Address by President Lincoln. I
would add that sleep’s role is not limited to the brain but rather it is fundamental to
the development and ongoing maintenance and entire functioning of complex
organisms evident at the cellular and molecular levels.
For me, the most compelling evidence about the why of sleep is its role during
development. The high proportion of the 24 h spent in sleep with high levels of
REM in infants and children [2] underpins the biological work needed for growth,
with REM-like phenomena occurring earlier in the fetus. To illustrate with one
example, the growing brain of the fetus drives breathing, sucking, and swallowing
in a primitive REM state. That these vital functions are driven by the fetal brain is
clear evidence of the vital role of neural activity driving development. The simplic-
ity of this example provides a starting point in understanding sleep. Breathing is not
required for gas exchange in the uterus, so why is it occurring? If prevented, the
diaphragm muscles don’t develop properly, and the requisite need for a brainstem
breathing rhythm does not occur at birth. This singular example is robust evidence
that clearly shows the reason for such basic fetal “sleep” activity and strongly sup-
ports the notion that “sleep is of the brain, by the brain, for the brain,” and I would
add “and for everything else!” There can be little doubt that similar processes are
occurring across all domains during the development of such complex biological
systems. At the other end of the age spectrum, when maintenance and repair domi-
nate the role of sleep, the now well-described process of brain washing—driven by
sleep—provides yet another robust example of the many roles of sleep in biology.
v
vi Foreword
Many examples are now being revealed at the cellular and molecular levels in the
complex interaction of sleep and circadian clocks. Synaptic growth and mitochon-
drial repair stand out as examples. The question of “why” should be replaced with
the many how’s that are yet to be discovered.
Given the high level of importance of sleep in development, I wonder why pedi-
atric sleep medicine, as a relatively new specialty, is so neglected? Perhaps this
thought reflects my own local experience; however the relative numbers of dedi-
cated pediatric sleep laboratories internationally compared to adult facilities seem
to support this impression.
While my first glimpse of sleep apnea was reading the report in Science from
Guilleminault et al. [3] “Insomnia with sleep apnea,” my career in sleep and breath-
ing began exploring potential causes of unexpected death in sleeping infants.
Prolonged apnea in sleep with upper airway obstruction was a major focus of these
unexpected deaths. Remarkably, sleep apnea was essentially unknown in the clini-
cal world. In the modern connected digital world, we can find all research publica-
tions at “light speed” using search engines like Google Scholar. However, at that
time, the few scattered early reports on sleep apnea were buried within specialist
publications and journals that could take months or even years to arrive in the
library. So it was that our small research group did not become aware of adult sleep
apnea until the arrival in our university library of the proceedings in 1975 of the
famous Rimini meeting held earlier in 1972 by Lugaresi [4]. This led to our first
all-night recording of a patient with obstructive sleep apnea and COPD with acute
on chronic respiratory failure in November 1975. This first study set in train for me
a lifetime of research into sleep and breathing and the development of the first com-
prehensive in-hospital sleep laboratory for adults at the Royal Prince Alfred
Hospital, and the beginning of clinical sleep medicine in Sydney.
However, as most of those in the clinical sleep field know, it took a great deal of
effort and negotiation to set up a clinical sleep laboratory within the hospital setting.
In his historical account of the beginning of sleep medicine in the US, Bill Dement
[5] described the first attempt at setting up a service in Palo Alto with an advertising
campaign in 1972/73 in the Bay Area of San Francisco offering help for individuals
with sleepiness. He was expecting to find patients with Narcolepsy, but the service
failed because of just a few patients. The clinical service only started again when
measures of breathing were included in sleep studies introduced by his recruit,
Christian Guilleminault, which led to the early period of the discovery of numerous
patients with sleep apnea.
Administrators, including clinical leaders, considered our work as “merely”
research, and strongly resisted the development of clinical sleep facilities, with
other priority areas taking available resources. The introduction of nasal CPAP in
1981, a nonsurgical therapy, provided us with a powerful argument as the sleep
facility was both a diagnostic and therapeutic service which was required to estab-
lish patients on CPAP. The fact that we could rescue patients with sleep apnea
induced life-threatening cardiac and respiratory failure with the application of
CPAP helped me convince the hospital managers to open a sleep laboratory as part
Foreword vii
References
1. Hobson JA. Sleep is of the brain, by the brain and for the brain. Nature.
2005;437(7063):1254–6.
2. Roffwarg HP, Muzio JN, Dement WC. Ontogenetic development of the human
sleep-dream cycle: the prime role of “dreaming sleep” in early life may be in the
development of the central nervous system. Science. 1966;152(3722):604–19.
3. Guilleminault C, Eldridge FL, Dement WC. Insomnia with sleep apnea: a new
syndrome. Science. 1973;181(4102):856–8.
4. Lugaresi E, et al. Hypersomnia with periodic breathing-periodic apneas and
alveolar hypoventilation during sleep. Bull. Physio-Pathol. Respir.
1972;8(1):103–13.
5. Dement WC. The study of human sleep: a historical perspective. Thorax.
1998;53(suppl 3):S2–7.
6. Menashe VD, Farrehi C, Miller M. Hypoventilation and cor pulmonale due to
chronic upper airway obstruction. J Pediatrics. 1965;67(2):198–203
7. Hill W. On some causes of backwardness and stupidity in children. Br Med
J. 1898;2:711–2.
ix
x Contents
12
Circadian Rhythm Disorders in Children and Adults���������������������������� 199
Kanta Velamuri, Supriya Singh, Ritwick Agrawal, Shahram
Moghtader, and Amir Sharafkhaneh
13
Transitional Care Aspects of the Diagnosis and Management of
Narcolepsy and Other Primary Disorders of Hypersomnia������������������ 211
Brian J. Murray
14 Transition of Sleep Care in Patients with Neuromuscular
and Neurodegenerative Disorders������������������������������������������������������������ 225
Sonal Malhotra, Aristotle Asis, and Daniel Glaze
15 Cystic Fibrosis: A Successful Model of Transition of Care
and Lessons Learned �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 247
Taylor Baumann and Tara Lynn Barto
16
Sickle Cell Disease: Lessons Learned������������������������������������������������������ 259
Jerlym S. Porter, Cecelia Valrie, Adrienne S. Viola,
and Jelaina Shipman
Index�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 277
Contributors
xi
xii Contributors
1.1 Introduction
Sleep and dreaming puzzle the human mind as far back as we know, and discussions
about sleep and dreams are found going back to ancient cultures and in every arche-
ological scripture. The real understanding about sleep and wakefulness however
grew as soon as better tools became available to study the central nervous system,
including recordings of electrical activity using EEG and neuroimaging including
functional MRI (fMRI). Further studies into physiology and biology of the nervous
system using various animal models allowed better understanding of how various
states of wakefulness and sleep occur. Combining the findings of almost the last two
centuries with clinical observations of astute practitioners enabled us to better
understand a long list of sleep disorders and formulate disease-specific criteria for
diagnosis and management of such conditions. Therapies aimed at either palliation
of symptoms or seeking curative approaches stemmed from the increased recogni-
tion of sleep-related ailments. Along the scientific and clinical advancements, vari-
ous associations with focus on sleep sciences and sleep disorders began to form and
along came scientifically and clinically oriented international, national, regional,
and local conferences and meetings. With increasing demand for sleep services,
A. Sharafkhaneh (*)
Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
e-mail: amirs@bcm.edu
M. Hirshkowitz
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
Stanford University School of Medicine, Division of Public Mental Health and Population
Sciences, Stanford, CA, USA
D. Gozal
Department of Child Health and the Child Health Research Institute, University of Missouri
School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, USA
e-mail: gozald@health.missouri.edu
© This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign 1
copyright protection may apply 2023
A. Sharafkhaneh, D. Gozal (eds.), Sleep Medicine,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-30010-3_1
2 A. Sharafkhaneh et al.
Sleep and dreaming are topics that have been discussed frequently in various cul-
tures going back several millennia. There is no doubt that humans are fascinated
with sleep in general and more particularly with dreams. In the context of the lack
of understanding of brain function by previous civilizations, it is a fascinating
opportunity to witness a process in which we and almost any other living organism
enter a coma-like state that may resemble death and return from this adventure
refreshed while unavoidably repeating it daily. Not surprisingly then that the topic
of sleep has been discussed to various degrees in ancient cultures. The current avail-
able literature points to discussions in Indian, Egyptian, Greek and Romans,
Chinese, and other ancient cultures. Many of these ancient cultures viewed sleep
and death similarly, sleep as temporary death, and the other as a permanent event.
Literature discovered from ancient Egypt elaborates on health and disease with
some focus on sleep. In particular, dreams and their interpretation were given major
importance. For example, then and now, in the Middle East and North Africa, dream
of death of an individual is interpreted as the life of that person being prolonged.
The story of the dream of pharaoh interpreted by Joseph is a typical example of how
ancient Egyptians took their dreams seriously. Egyptian physicians used poppy
seed, alcohol, and nightshade (scopolamine) in addition of purging and enemas for
treatment of insomnia [4, 5].
Chinese ancient culture and to some degree the current traditional Chinese medi-
cine believe in two forces of positive (yang) and negative (yin) that in balance create
health or disease. Chinese believed in the humoral system that regulated various
bodily functions including sleep. They used different methods including acupunc-
ture, massage, breathing exercises, and various herbal medicines (ephedra and gin-
seng) to treat ailments including insomnia [5].
Indus Valley civilization goes back for thousands of years. The traditional Indian
medicine is called Ayurveda. According to Ayurveda principles, three basic types of
energy exist in each individual. These include Vata (the energy of movement), Pitta
(energy of digestion/metabolism), and Kapha (energy of lubrication and structure).
Accordingly, hypersomnia is considered to be the disturbance of Kapha and
1 A Brief History of Sleep Medicine in Children and Adults 3
insomnia is due to the disturbance in Vata. Sleep was divided into being physiologic
or pathological (due to a disease). Proper sleep also was linked to happiness,
strength, knowledge, and even longevity [6].
Greeks both through their literature and through their scientific dialogues are
among the earlier civilizations that discussed and documented sleep-related topics
in their writings. Alcmaeon (about 500 BC) proposed that sleep is produced by
withdrawal of blood from the body surface to larger central vessels. Hippocrates
and later Aristotle discussed sleep in more depth in their writings. Among medica-
tions, narcotics from opium poppy were used to induce sleep-like states [5].
In contrast to other cultures, physicians from Rome theorized that sleep is caused
by partial or complete splitting of atoms. Interestingly, neural theory of sleep as loss
of central control of peripheral muscles also was discussed in ancient writings from
Rome [4].
Jewish, Christian, and Islamic scriptures all have repeatedly discussed sleep and in
particular dreams. Sleep is seen as an essential physiologic function given by the
Creator. The scriptures consider sleep similar to death except that sleep is tempo-
rary, while death is final loss of consciousness. In the scriptures, the value of good
sleep, especially the one that is at night, is mentioned and recommended, with 8 h
sleep per day being advocated as desirable [7]. Scriptures view the dreams as a
method of prophecy. The most famous of them are the dreams of Joseph, the son of
Jacob. In the scriptures, various dreams experienced by Joseph while he was with
his father and subsequently Joseph’s role as a trusted interpreter of the dreams of the
pharaoh are emphasized and attest to the unique importance of the underworld acti-
vated by sleep to control the events and future reality of wakefulness. The dreams
may have been considered as a method of communication and of conveying com-
mands by the Creator. An example in the Bible is the dream of Joseph to take Mary
as his wife. As a matter of fact, interpretation of the dreams is considered a very
important and a scary task that can only be assumed by a few selected ones who
possess singular clairvoyance. Many elements of sleep hygiene, restorative effects
of sleep, circadian rhythms of sleep, and discussions about treatment of insomnia
and excessive daytime sleepiness are discussed in the religious texts including the
Bible, Talmud, and Quran [4, 5, 8, 9] and the related texts of these holy books as
drafted by religious scholars. In general, scriptures consider sleep an essential func-
tion and dreams were a way of the Creator commanding and prophesizing.
Interpretation of scriptures affected the communities of the followers. Further, the
interpretations of the scriptures are influenced by the cultures and the advancement
of sleep science. Interestingly, the religious establishment significantly influenced
practice of medicine in the earlier part of the Middle Ages (AD 476 to AD 1453).
Establishment of medical schools during the latter part of the Middle Ages allowed
for a transition to more observation-based medical diagnosis and treatment rather
than mysticism for all ailments including sleep disorders [4].
4 A. Sharafkhaneh et al.
Theories about sleep and dreaming were and remain abundant and have originated
from philosophers, clinicians, and scientists. Many of these theories were generated
by observations of individuals during sleep. The theories includes the vascular theo-
ries related to increased (congestion) or decreased blood (anemia) supply to the
brain, the neural theories (reduced neural activities), chemical theories (accumula-
tion of substances or neurotoxins), and behavioral theories [4, 10]. Interestingly,
most of these theories either in their entirety or partially have been refuted by the
recent advances of the last 80 years. However, it was not until scientific tools to
study the nervous system became available that our understanding of sleep became
better defined.
The electroencephalogram (EEG) was developed as a noninvasive tool to study
the brain during sleep and answer the fundamental question of whether the brain in
sleep is active or inactive. To this end, Nathaniel Kleitman stated that “It is perhaps
not sleep that needs to be explained, but wakefulness” [11]. This tool gradually
moved from the research laboratory to clinical practice and tremendously helped to
diagnose and treat many sleep disorders. Understanding of sleep would not have
been possible until the discovery that neurons are connected through synapses and
knowing that the cells communicate with each other through electrical signals and
neurotransmitters. Luigi Galvani (eighteenth century) elucidated the electrical
activity of nervous system, Richard Caton (1875) discovered the electrical activity
of the brain, and Hans Berger (1929) recorded the electrical activity of the brain
(electroencephalogram) during wake and sleep [5, 10]. He identified alpha rhythm
(also was called Berger’s wave) in addition to recognizing that when a person fell
asleep, the alpha rhythm disappeared.
Subsequently, studies in early decades of the twentieth century by groups from
Harvard University and the University of Chicago showed that in fact sleep has its
own characteristic electrical activities [12]. The discoveries showed different stages
of sleep including calm wakefulness with dominance of alpha, periods of synchro-
nized slow activities, and periods of sleep with increased activity.
The next important stage in understanding sleep physiology comes with the
ability to study eye movements using electro-oculogram which helped scientists
to discover rapid eye movements (REMs) and associate these movements with
dreaming. Indeed, when patients were awakened during REM sleep periods, they
could describe vivid dreams while they were not able to do so when they would
be aroused from a quiet sleep. Additionally, the increases in heart rate and breath-
ing rate that were seen during the rapid eye movements contrasted with the slow-
ing of respiration and cardiac frequency during non-REM sleep [13, 14]. The next
important piece of information about sleep came after studying subjects’ sleep in
the entirety of the night and discovering the alternating pattern of non-REM and
REM sleep [15]. Subsequently, REM sleep muscle atonia was discovered, and
consequently REM sleep was defined as sleep with rapid eye movements, dreams,
and active brain EEG similar to wakefulness but in the presence of diffuse muscle
atonia [10].
1 A Brief History of Sleep Medicine in Children and Adults 5
After defining the various stages of sleep, further studies investigated the neuro-
physiological mechanisms involved in transitioning from one state to another.
Discovering the link between hypothalamic pathology and hypersomnia and the
link between lesions of preoptic area and anterior hypothalamic region to insomnia
were major breakthroughs in connecting the anatomy to sleep-related symptoms
[16]. Further studies in the early 1900s showed that stimulation of central thalamus
results in sleep [5]. One of the earlier discoveries on this topic was understanding
that reticular activating system may be feeding the cortex and thus maintaining
wakefulness [17]. Later, Michel Jouvet in Lyon, France, demonstrated that stimula-
tion of the caudal mesencephalic region and pontine tegmentum leads to a REM-
like state and coined the term “sommeil paradoxal” (paradoxical sleep) to REM
sleep [18]. The discovery of two peptides (1998) in the hypothalamic area, by two
independent groups, with effects on wakefulness and appetite (and hence named
hypocretin/orexin) significantly increased our understanding of neurophysiological
mechanisms of sleep, REM sleep, and narcolepsy [3].
Another aspect of sleep science focuses on circadian rhythms that exist in all liv-
ing beings. The anterior hypothalamus was identified as the main region governing
the biological clock by Curt Richter (1965) and more specifically the suprachias-
matic nucleus [19]. Further studies in the 1960s and 1970s clarified the circadian
variations in endocrine function and thermoregulation and ultimately extended the
concept of circadian rhythms to all cells denoting the presence of a major central
clock and a myriad of peripheral clocks regulated by the central one [5]. As recently
as 2017, the fundamental discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling the cir-
cadian rhythm led to the attribution of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to
Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young.
Polysomnography, i.e., the objective scientific method used for studying sleep,
developed in the second quarter of the twentieth century. The polysomnogram, born
out of electroencephalography, originated in psychophysiology, matured with clini-
cal science, and ultimately became employed by sleep medicine. Owing its roots to
electroencephalography and other electrophysiological recording techniques, poly-
somnography rapidly evolved from its role for scientific inquiry to clinical applica-
tions [20]. A major issue with EEG at the beginning was the inability to record for
long periods of time. Gibbs and Garceau were able to construct a one-channel EEG
machine by adapting the Weston Union Morse Code ink-writing undulator, while
Albert Grass who was working on earthquake seismographs created a three-channel
EEG machine. After 1938, EEG rapidly gained popularity as both a research and a
clinical tool. Polygraphic recording devices (e.g., the Grass Model 1) became then
commercially available [20].
As use of polysomnography became widespread, the lack of standardization in
scoring became apparent. In a very interesting study, Monroe compared 28 raters
from 14 sleep centers who scored the same 398 min of a sleep study. The study
6 A. Sharafkhaneh et al.
showed that the interrater reliability was low and recommended standardization of
sleep stages [21]. In 1967, a committee of experts, led by Allan Rechtschaffen and
Anthony Kales, took on the task of developing standard rules for scoring sleep
stages. The result of this work was published as “A manual of standardized termi-
nology, techniques and scoring system for sleep stages of human subjects” and is
known of R&K scoring rules [22]. In 1971, “A Manual for Standardized Techniques
and Criteria for Scoring of States of Sleep and Wakefulness in Newborn infants”
was published [23]. The R&K guidelines were developed for normal sleep and had
major limitations when used in clinical settings. Thus, the American Academy of
Sleep Medicine developed an improved and expanded scoring manual named
“AASM Manual for the Scoring of Sleep and Associated Events: Rules, Terminology,
and Technical Specifications” in 2007. Subsequently, the board of Directors of the
AASM mandated that the scoring manual be updated regularly and be published
online. The Version 2.0 is the first scoring manual transitioned to a true digital for-
mat [24]. The latest update to the scoring manual, Version 2.6, was published in
2020. The AASM updated the visual scoring of sleep in infants 0–2 months of age
in 2016 [25]. Additionally, international groups formed to develop standards for
recording and scoring clinical polysomnographic information. Notable among these
groups is the team that published an atlas for cyclic alternating pattern scoring and
the World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM) in collaboration with the
International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) who updated the
guidelines for periodic leg movement assessment (which ultimately was adopted
virtually unchanged by the AASM) [26, 27].
Another major advancement in the field of sleep disorders was the creation of a
system for sleep disorder classification that could be used for clinical diagnosis and
coding of all known sleep disorders. This task was commissioned by the Association
of Sleep Disorders Centers (ASDC) and the first publication appeared in the SLEEP
journal in 1979 [28]. Subsequently, the International Classification of Sleep
Disorders: Diagnostic and Coding Manual (ICSD) was developed [3]. Since then,
the American Academy of Sleep Medicine updated the manual under ICSD-2 in
2005 and later ICSD-3 in 2014 [29].
The emergence of sleep apnea as a highly prevalent disorder was the engine driv-
ing the huge expansion of the use of clinical PSG. Currently, 80–90% of all clinical
PSGs conducted attempt to rule in or rule out sleep-disordered breathing. For 40
years, attended polysomnography dominated as the preferred technique for evaluat-
ing sleep apnea and/or titrating positive airway pressure therapy. The widespread
recognition of sleep apnea as a significant medical condition affecting nearly one
billion people around the world was paired with a PSG’s billable CPT code and
produced a meteoric rise in sleep medicine. However, economics drove the market
toward finding a less expensive alternative; thus, the cardiopulmonary recording
arise, also known as home-sleep testing (HST) or out-of-center sleep testing
(OCST). HST involves making overnight recordings of airflow, respiratory effort,
oxyhemoglobin saturation level, heart rate, and sometimes snoring sounds and
EEG. Its only validated use is to verify the presence of sleep apnea [30]. Other HST
devices use non-flow-based evaluation of respiration and cardiac functions during
1 A Brief History of Sleep Medicine in Children and Adults 7
sleep, and with current microelectronics and sophisticated digital processing analyt-
ics, this field is developing extremely rapidly and creating many different instru-
ments enabling diagnostic approaches for sleep apnea and other sleep disorders.
The field of sleep medicine grew out of the advancement in understanding of sleep,
development of reliable tools, and recognition of various sleep disorders by patients
and clinicians. Research in the field of sleep medicine continues increasingly and thus
expands the clinical field of sleep. Out of this growth is better understanding of physi-
ology of sleep and improved classification of the sleep disorders to better diagnose
and manage these ailments and discovery of novel molecular targets for developing
therapeutic agents. Of course, the field of sleep medicine would not have grown as
much if it was not for the societies related to sleep, various related scientific meetings,
establishment of various sleep clinics, and sleep medicine training programs.
The progress of a medical field depends not only on how science moves forward
on the field but also on how the related experts and scientists organize and form
scientific and professional societies. The first professional society related to sleep
and their related meeting in the USA, with international representation of sleep
scientists, was the Association for the Psychophysiological Study of Sleep (APSS)
organized by Dr. Dement in 1961. This initial organization also created a yearly
meeting to present scientific data. The meeting proceedings were originally pub-
lished in the Psychophysiology (the journal for the Society for Psychophysiological
Research) which showed the image of a polysomnographic tracing on its cover. For
the first time in 1971, the APSS meeting went outside the USA to Bruges in Belgium
and published a meeting book titled The Sleeping Brain. Along with the growth of
APSS, the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS) was formed in 1972 with the
leadership of Dr. Koella [31]. As APSS and clinical sleep services grew, the
Association of Sleep Disorder Centers (ASDC) with initially only five member cen-
ters started to function in early 1976 with Dr. Dement as its president and Dr.
Weitzman as vice president [3]. Out of ASDC came development of a specialty
board exam for sleep medicine. Along the APSS and ASDC, the Japanese Sleep
Society was formed and later led to the Asian Sleep Society. Additional outcome of
APSS, ASDC, and ESRS was the journal SLEEP with its first issue in 1977. The
ESRS later in 1992 developed its own publication named Journal of Sleep Research.
As field of sleep grew, other major sleep-related societies including the Australian
Sleep Association (1988) and the Chinese Sleep Research Society (1994) were
formed. In the meanwhile, in the USA, the Association of Polysomnographic
Technologists (APT) was formed in 1978, and a board of polysomnographic tech-
nologist registry (BRPT) administered its first examination in 1979. These groups
ultimately formed a confederation in 1986 called the Association of Professional
Sleep Societies (reusing the initials APSS), and ASDC was renamed the American
Sleep Disorders Association (ASDA) the following year (eventually becoming the
American Academy of Sleep Medicine [AASM] in 1999) [20].
8 A. Sharafkhaneh et al.
developing PSG applications for sleep medicine [20]. These sleep disorder centers
created a nucleus from which the Association of Sleep Disorders Centers (ASDC)
grew. The main focus of these sleep centers was to conduct clinical PSG procedures.
AASM accredited for the first time a sleep center in 1977. As of 2022, there are
2582 AASM-accredited sleep disorder centers (personal communication
with AASM).
As the field of sleep medicine grew and needs for sleep clinical services became
apparent, so came the need to provide training and certification in the field of sleep
medicine. ASDC formed an education committee in charge of developing a curricu-
lum for sleep medicine. As training programs started, a plan for certification for the
purpose of competency was envisioned. Dr. Helmut Schmidt led the ASDC sub-
committee in charge of certification. Many of the materials came from the record-
ings performed at Stanford and Cincinnati. The first exam was administered by
Thomas Roth, Helmut Schmidt, and Christian Guilleminault at Stanford and later
was moved to Columbus Ohio. ASDC administered the sleep medicine competency
evaluation from 1978 to 1990. Subsequently, the American Board of Sleep Medicine
as an independent certification body administered the exam from 1991 to 2006 and
issued the certificate abbreviated as Diplomat-ABSM to 3445 diplomats [35].
Initially, the candidates responded to written true-false questions and oral questions.
However, starting in 1980, the exam was taken in a two-part format administered on
separate days. Sleep medicine was recognized as an independent subspecialty by
the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in 2003
which paved the way for developing a subspecialty exam by the American Board of
Medical Specialties (ABMS). Since 2007, ABMS has been administering the certi-
fication examination in sleep medicine. Initially, the exam was administered bian-
nually, but currently, the applicants can take the certification exam annually [36].
Since 2011, the only pathway for ABMS Sleep Medicine certification is through
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited
1-year sleep medicine fellowship training [35].
Another milestone in the field of sleep medicine was the publication of Principles
and Practice of Sleep Medicine by Kryger, Roth, and Dement in 1989 with 739
pages. The latest (7th) edition of this book was published as a two-volume set in
2021 with 213 chapters in 2240 pages. The Principles and Practice of Pediatric
Sleep Medicine came out in 2001 and with the second edition in 2012 expanded the
field. A third edition of this book is expected soon.
In summary, sleep and dreams have perplexed human beings since the dawn of
humanity. However, it is really the major advances that occurred during last 100
years or so that have immensely increased our knowledge and understanding of
sleep and sleep disorders and their treatment. History of sleep is clearly in the mak-
ing, and we are all part of it.
10 A. Sharafkhaneh et al.
References
1. Chokroverty S. Sleep medicine: a comprehensive guide to its development, clinical mile-
stones, and advances in treatment. New York: Springer; 2015. p. 552.
2. Dement WC. History of sleep medicine. Neurol Clin. 2005;23(4):945–65.
3. Shepard JW Jr, Buysse DJ, Chesson AL Jr, Dement WC, Goldberg R, Guilleminault C,
et al. History of the development of sleep medicine in the United States. J Clin Sleep Med.
2005;1(1):61–82.
4. Thorpy MJ. History of sleep medicine. Handb Clin Neurol. 2011;98:3–25.
5. Kirsch DB. There and back again: a current history of sleep medicine. Chest.
2011;139(4):939–46.
6. Chokroverty S. Sleep medicine in ancient and traditional india. In: Chokroverty S, editor.
Sleep medicine: a comprehensive guide to its development, clinical milestones, and advances
in treatment. New York: Springer; 2015.
7. Rosner F. The hygienic principles of moses maimonides. JAMA. 1965;194(13):1352–4.
8. Bahammam AS, Gozal D. Qur’anic insights into sleep. Nat Sci Sleep. 2012;4:81–7.
9. Ancoli-Israel S. “Sleep is not tangible” or what the hebrew tradition has to say about sleep.
Psychosom Med. 2001;63(5):778–87.
10. Pelayo R, Dement WC. History of sleep physiology and medicine. In: Principles and practice
of sleep medicine. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 2017. p. 3–14.
11. Kleitman N. Sleep and wakefulness as alternating phases in the cycle of existence. 1939.
12. Deak M, Epstein LJ. The history of polysomnography. Sleep Med Clin. 2009;4(3):313–21.
13. Dement W, Kleitman N. The relation of eye movements during sleep to dream activity: an
objective method for the study of dreaming. J Exp Psychol. 1957;53(5):339–46.
14. Aserinsky E, Kleitman N. Regularly occurring periods of eye motility, and concomitant phe-
nomena, during sleep. Science. 1953;118(3062):273–4.
15. Dement W, Kleitman N. Cyclic variations in EEG during sleep and their relation to eye move-
ments, body motility, and dreaming. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol. 1957;9(4):673–90.
16. Triarhou LC. The percipient observations of Constantin von Economo on encephalitis lethar-
gica and sleep disruption and their lasting impact on contemporary sleep research. Brain Res
Bull. 2006;69(3):244–58.
17. Magoun H. The ascending reticular system and wakefulness. 1954.
18. Jouvet M. Research on the neural structures and responsible mechanisms in different phases of
physiological sleep. Arch Ital Biol. 1962;100:125–206.
19. Weaver DR. The suprachiasmatic nucleus: a 25-year retrospective. J Biol Rhythm.
1998;13(2):100–12.
20. Hirshkowitz M. The history of polysomnography: tool of scientific discovery. In: Chokroverty
S, editor. Sleep medicine: a comprehensive guide to its development, clinical milestones, and
advances in treatment. New York: Springer; 2015.
21. Monroe LJ. Transient changes in EEG sleep patterns of married good sleepers: the effects of
altering sleeping arrangement. Psychophysiology. 1969;6(3):330–7.
22. Rechtschaffen A. A manual of standardized terminology, techniques and scoring system for
sleep stages of human subjects. Los Angeles: Brain Information Service/Brain Research
Institute. University of California; 1968.
23. Anders T, Parmelee AH. A manual of standardized terminology, techniques and criteria for
scoring of states of sleep and wakefulness in newborn infants. Los Angeles: UCLA Brain
Information Service; 1971.
24. Berry RB, Gamaldo CE, Harding SM, Brooks R, Lloyd RM, Vaughn BV, et al. AASM scor-
ing manual version 2.2 updates: new chapters for scoring infant sleep staging and home sleep
apnea testing. J Clin Sleep Med. 2015;11(11):1253–4.
25. Grigg-Damberger MM. The visual scoring of sleep in infants 0 to 2 months of age. J Clin Sleep
Med. 2016;12(3):429–45.
1 A Brief History of Sleep Medicine in Children and Adults 11
26. Zucconi M, Ferri R, Allen R, Baier PC, Bruni O, Chokroverty S, et al. The official world
association of sleep medicine (WASM) standards for recording and scoring periodic leg move-
ments in sleep (PLMS) and wakefulness (PLMW) developed in collaboration with a task
force from the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG). Sleep Med.
2006;7(2):175–83.
27. Terzano MG, Parrino L, Smerieri A, Chervin R, Chokroverty S, Guilleminault C, et al. Atlas,
rules, and recording techniques for the scoring of cyclic alternating pattern (CAP) in human
sleep. Sleep Med. 2002;3(2):187–99.
28. Association of Sleep Disorders Centers and the Association for the Psychophysiological Study
of Sleep. Diagnostic classification of sleep and arousal disorders. 1979 first edition. Sleep.
1979;2(1):1–154.
29. Sateia MJ. International classification of sleep disorders-third edition: highlights and modifica-
tions. Chest. 2014;146(5):1387–94.
30. Hirshkowitz M. Comparison of portable monitoring with laboratory polysomnography for
diagnosing sleep-related breathing disorders: scoring and interpretation. Sleep Med Clin.
2011;6:3.
31. Deboer T, Arnardóttir ES, Landolt H-P, Luppi PH, McNicholas WT, Pevernagie D, et al. The
European Sleep Research Society – past, present and future. J Sleep Res. 2022;31(4):e13601.
32. O’Bryan A, Ferini Strambi L, Penzel T. World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM) histori-
cal summary. Sleep Med. 2017;40(Suppl 1):e1–2.
33. Society WS. Current Associate Society Members. 2022. https://worldsleepsociety.org/
membership/societymembership/membersocieties/.
34. Foundation NS. 2022. Available from www.thensf.org.
35. Plante DT, Epstein LJ, Fields BG, Shelgikar AV, Rosen IM. Competency-based sleep medicine
fellowships: addressing workforce needs and enhancing educational quality. J Clin Sleep Med.
2020;16(1):137–41.
36. Quan SF, Berry RB, Buysse D, Collop NA, Grigg-Damberger M, Harding SM, et al.
Development and results of the first ABMS subspecialty certification examination in sleep
medicine. J Clin Sleep Med. 2008;4(5):505–8.
Neurological Aspects of Sleep Medicine,
How Sleep Evolves, and Regulation 2
of Function
2.1 Introduction
The brain undergoes dynamic structural and functional changes across the life span.
Some of these changes are more evident in the transition from adolescence to adult-
hood. The various structures, regions, and neural networks undergo maturation and
development of their distinct trajectories and connections. In the past century, the
discoveries and advances in diagnostic technology methods have contributed to our
understanding of the neural networks involved in sleep; in particular, electroen-
cephalography (EEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have shed light on
the identification of specific brain areas/structures involved in the physiology of
sleep and wakefulness. These and other techniques have allowed the identification
of sleep stages and the changes of sleep stages and EEG activity across the life span.
For instance, markers of sleep such as K-complexes, sleep spindles, and slow wave
activity (SWA) have been studied in relation to changes across various age
groups [1, 2].
Healthy sleep is necessary for normal growth, development, cognition, and over-
all good physical health [3]. For instance, the finding that short sleep duration in the
first 3 years of life is associated with hyperactivity/impulsivity and lower cognitive
performance on neurodevelopmental tests at 6 years of age is very important and is
L. M. DelRosso
University of California San Francisco, Fresno, CA, USA
R. Ferri
Sleep Research Centre, Oasi Research Institute – IRCCS, Troina, Italy
e-mail: rferri@oasi.en.it
O. Bruni (*)
Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
e-mail: oliviero.bruni@uniroma1.it
consistent with previous evidence for short-term effects of sleep loss. Furthermore,
it has been reported that specific cognitive deficits and high hyperactivity scores at
6 years of age are most strongly associated with a pattern of short sleep duration at
2.5 years of age suggesting that insufficient sleep during the first few years of life
may have long-standing consequences [4].
The Millennium Cohort Study on 11,000 children showed that nonregular bed-
time at the age of 3 years is independently associated, in girls and boys, with lower
reading, math, and spatial scores. Girls who never had regular bedtimes at the ages
of 3, 5, and 7 years had significantly lower reading, math, and spatial scores, while
for boys this was the case for those having nonregular bedtimes at any two ages (3,
5, or 7 years) [5].
However, sleep is not a static but rather is a dynamic state, involving variations
in cerebral blood flow, neurotransmitters, immune response, and metabolic changes
[6]. The understanding of the changes across the life span can help the sleep physi-
cian understand processes that occur in sleep and wakefulness while helping adoles-
cents in their transition into adulthood.
In this chapter, we will further explore the neurological aspects that can influence
sleep and wakefulness in the adolescent patient during transitioning into adulthood.
We hope that this understanding will add to our set of tools to evaluate and treat
patients with sleep disorders.
Brain volume peaks at the age of 10.5 years in females and 14.5 years in males, fol-
lowing a decline (inverse U-shaped trajectory) with aging (Box 2.1) [9]. The cere-
bellum follows a similar inverse U shape, with a peak volume a little bit later at 11.3
years in girls and 15.6 years in boys, but the cerebellar vermis does not show changes
across the life span [10]. The gray matter also shows an inverted U-shaped trajec-
tory, and the white matter volume increases through adolescence, probably second-
ary to the increase in myelin [9]. These trajectories, shape, and changes in volume
2 Neurological Aspects of Sleep Medicine, How Sleep Evolves, and Regulation… 15
may help to clarify functional phenotypes and changes in sleep disorders. An exam-
ple is seen in the changes in periodic leg movements across the life span described
by Ferri et al. [11] who found peculiar changes only in the periodic leg movements
mirroring changes in dopaminergic networks, not shared by the other leg movement
indices. These changes also include maturation and changes in brain connectivity
networks. Synaptic density, for example, is low at birth, increases significantly over
the first years of life to a maximum during mid-childhood, and then declines across
adolescence, so that synaptic density at 10 years is approximately the double of that
found at the age of 20 years [12]. The maximum synapse density varies in a way that
is specific to each brain region and reaches a maximum at different ages, for exam-
ple, the highest synapse density for the auditory cortex occurs at 3 months of age.
Tests of brain glucose utilization have been used as markers of nerve cell functional
activity. Regional cerebral blood flow increases during infancy until school age and
then decreases to adult levels at around the age of 16–18 years [13].
The maturation and development of the human brain also involves the maturation
and development of the neurotransmitter systems. Unfortunately, research on the
difference between the individual changes in neurotransmitters remains sparse. A
deeper understanding of these changes is of utmost importance, particularly in the
area of psychopharmacology and treatment of sleep disorders with medications
approved and studied in adults but with unknown effects in adolescents.
Studies have shown a U-shaped progression of norepinephrine levels (Box 2.2)
in plasma with an initial sharp drop starting at 5 years and reaching the lowest levels
at the onset of puberty, after which they tend to increase until the age of 40–60 years
[14]. Adrenergic receptors in the brain of animal models have shown an increase in
the first years of life, followed by a plateau and subsequent decline during the young
adult years [15]. There are also important functional differences in the upregulation
of noradrenergic receptors. While in adults higher norepinephrine levels in the brain
cause downregulation of receptors, in the developing brain, higher norepinephrine
levels cause upregulation of alpha-2 receptors. One must think of the psychophar-
macological applicability of this finding, in particular using medications that are
16 L. M. DelRosso et al.
It has been shown that distinct patterns of EEG activity become associated with dif-
ferent behavioral states when the cortex becomes able to generate its own oscilla-
tory rhythms, independent of sensory stimulation. One could speculate that the goal
of neural activity during the development is to refine cortical circuits, by pruning
and synaptic potentiation, and this process seems to occur at all times, during wake-
fulness or sleep [19]. In normal healthy infants, sleep cycles typically last a mean of
50–60 min (range: 30–70 min). Wakefulness represents only 8–10% of a 24-h day
in infants up to 8 weeks post-term. Until approximately 44 weeks of conceptional
age, sleep cycles repeat in a polyphasic pattern across the 24 h, interrupted approxi-
mately every 3–4 h by an awakening for care and feeding. Within a given sleep
cycle, REM sleep lasts 10–45 (mean 25) min, NREM near to 20 min, and transi-
tional sleep about 10 min. NREM and REM sleep are typically evenly distributed
during the night.
The most conspicuous changes in sleep architecture during infancy and early
childhood are (1) decrease in total sleep time, (2) gradual consolidation of periods
2 Neurological Aspects of Sleep Medicine, How Sleep Evolves, and Regulation… 17
of sleep at night or wakefulness during the day, (3) decrease in the intensity of (EEG
power) of NREM sleep stage 3 slow-wave activity (SWA), and (4) a steady decline
in the percentage of sleep time spent in REM sleep [20]. We will proceed to discuss
these changes in more detail.
Scholle et al. [21] published normative values for one-night PSG in children
aged 1–18 years using the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) sleep
scoring to standard criteria [22]. They found that sleep architecture showed signifi-
cant changes with increasing age. REM latency, awakening index, sleep efficiency,
mean sleep cycle duration, and number of sleep stage shifts increased with age.
Total sleep time, wakefulness after sleep onset, movement time, number of sleep
cycles, NREM sleep stage 3, and REM sleep decreased. Sleep parameters which
showed a dependency on Tanner staging, as well as corresponding age, were total
sleep time, awakening index, REM latency, NREM sleep stages 2 and 3, number of
sleep cycles, and mean sleep cycle duration. No gender dependencies were found.
The delta power of NREM sleep stage 3 EEG activity decreases by more than 60%
between the ages of 10 and 20 years. SWA also declines across recurring periods of
NREM sleep within a night. Longitudinal studies have shown that the delta power
of the sleep EEG begins to decrease at around 11.5 years and is reduced by 60% at
16 years. The fall in delta power begins earlier in girls than in boys (consistent with
age-related changes in gray matter volume) but with time the overall rate decline
becomes similar between girls and boys at 16 years of age (Box 2.3).
The main characteristics of the normal adolescent EEG are indistinguishable
from the adult EEG. In fact, the AASM allows to score sleep recordings of patients
aged 13 years and older based on adult criteria. During wakefulness, the EEG is
characterized by beta waves and gamma waves with low voltage (5–10 μV) and
high frequency (30–120 Hz) [23]. During relaxed wakefulness, alpha rhythm
appears in the EEG with a frequency of 8–13 Hz. During sleep, REM, NREM, and
its sub-stages (N1, N2, and N3) can be identified by their unique EEG, electroocu-
lography (EOG), and electromyography (EMG) findings.
Sleep stage N1 is characterized by low-amplitude, mixed frequency activity (4–7
Hz) for more than 50% of an epoch. Vertex sharp waves can be observed in sleep
stages N1 and N2 with a maximum duration of 0.5 s. The EOG can show slow eye
movements (SEM) during N1. Stage N2 is characterized by the K-complexes and
sleep spindles. K-complexes have a negative followed by positive deflection and last
at least 0.5 s. K-complexes decrease with age both in frequency and amplitude [24].
This change is thought to be secondary to age-related changes of the thalamocorti-
cal regulatory mechanisms. Sleep spindles have a frequency of 11–16 Hz and last at
least 0.5 s. Two types of sleep spindles have been reported in the literature: slow
(11–12 Hz), which is found over the frontal regions, and fast (14 Hz), which is
found over the central and parietal regions. Each type of spindle shows a different
maturation course. Centroparietal spindles appear to gradually increase with age,
while frontal spindles decrease from early childhood to adolescence and become
stable at 13 years of age [25]. Stage N3 slow waves have a frequency of 0.5–2 Hz
with a minimal amplitude of 75 μV. One of the most dramatic changes in sleep
architecture during adolescence is the significant decline in slow wave sleep (60%
18 L. M. DelRosso et al.
between 11 and 16 years) [26]. Delta power begins to decline at 11 years and shows
a steep decline until about the age of 17 years during which this decline begins to
slow down. It has been suggested that this decline in slow wave sleep is associated
with maturation of networks in the frontal cortex.
Synaptic pruning during adolescence is accompanied by a reorganization of neu-
ronal connections, whereby mistargeted axons and unused synapses are eliminated
and connectivity becomes more specific. The decrease of synaptic density during
adolescence, which is reflected by changes in gray matter, proceeds asynchronously
in different brain areas, in line with the maturation of specific cognitive functions.
Changes in synaptic density are paralleled by changes in slow-wave amplitude [12,
26] and brain metabolism, presumably due to the increased energy requirements
associated with increased synaptic activity [27].
During development, none of the classical frequency bands change as dramati-
cally as the slow wave activity (SWA) band. The change of the amplitude of slow
waves parallels the number of synapses, that is, reduced synaptic density following
pruning is reflected by a decline in amplitude, and the location over which maximal
SWA can be measured undergoes a shift from the posterior to the anterior regions of
the scalp across childhood and adolescence, matching the time course of cortical
maturation, as tracked by MRI and behavioral studies [28], most likely reflecting
cortical plasticity during development. SWA is highest over the posterior regions
during early childhood and then shifts over the central derivations to the frontal
cortex in late adolescence. This trajectory of SWA topography matches the course
of the cortical gray matter maturation. Interestingly, synaptic density and slow-wave
amplitude are highest shortly before puberty and decline thereafter during adoles-
cence, reaching overall stable levels during adulthood. SWA is not merely reflecting
cortical changes but plays an active role in brain maturation [29]. Thus, sleep SWA
might be considered as a reliable indicator of net changes in average synaptic den-
sity/strength, both in the course of the night (sleep homeostasis) and in the course of
development. Investigation of sleep SWA topography during childhood and adoles-
cence confirmed this assumption by showing that the location on the scalp exhibit-
ing maximal SWA changed during development, shifting from the posterior to the
anterior scalp regions with time [28]. The changes in SWA topography probably
reflect synaptic changes accompanying the pruning process during cortical matura-
tion. Another link between cortical maturation and slow waves arises from a study
that compared the SWA decrease during adolescence with alterations in gray matter
volume [2, 30].
A study recently highlighted the connection between sleep restriction and neural
growth in school-age children revealing a local sleep homeostatic response follow-
ing acute sleep restriction, as indicated by the increase in SWA, over the parieto-
occipital areas and the negative relationship between the homeostatic SWA increase
in adjacent, parieto-temporal areas and local myelin content in the optic radiation.
These data suggest high plasticity in the parietal-occipital areas in children, which
is consistent with anatomical, neuroimaging, and behavioral data. The SWA rebound
after sleep restriction in children is strongest at the beginning of the night and levels
off with time in about 60 min, which is consistent with existing knowledge of the
2 Neurological Aspects of Sleep Medicine, How Sleep Evolves, and Regulation… 19
Box 2.3 Summary of EEG Changes During Sleep from Childhood into Adulthood
NREM REM
Slow wave sleep decreases during adolescence Latency increases with age
K-complexes decrease with age both in frequency and Amount decreases with age
amplitude
Centroparietal spindles gradually increase with age, Atonia peaks during
while frontal spindles decrease from early childhood to adolescence and then
adolescence and become stable at 13 years of age decreases with aging
circadian cycle. The disorder ensues when school demands a wakeup time at 6 or 7
am allowing only for 6 or 7 h of sleep. The adolescent then presents with symptoms
of daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and poor school performance. There is consensus
that sleep requirements are about 9 h of sleep at night for adolescents and do not
change significantly across puberty. Delayed bedtime and early school wakeup time
contribute to sleep insufficiency during school days and are the causes of catching
up sleep in the morning during weekends and of common complaints of excessive
daytime sleepiness in adolescents.
Research has shown a significant association between this circadian delay in
adolescents and puberty. Females start showing a delay in sleep time approximately
1 year earlier than males, paralleling the onset of puberty. The maximum delay in
sleep time also occurs earlier in females than in males (19.5 vs. 20.9 years). Global
research has also demonstrated that this delay in sleep onset occurs in adolescents
irrespective of cultural or geographical differences. This delay in sleep correlates
with the pubertal development of secondary sexual characteristics and persists for
weeks after sleep schedule is adjusted [37] (Box 2.4).
Few mechanisms have been postulated to explain the association between circa-
dian delay and puberty. The first and more obvious, due to the relationship with
puberty, involves the potential role of gonadal hormones in the regulation of the
circadian rhythm. Gonadectomy and/or administration of estrogen, testosterone, or
progesterone in rodents has shown an immediate effect on the circadian cycle [38].
The effect of gonadal hormones on circadian rhythms can be attributed to their
modulation of the suprachiasmatic nucleus either by producing anatomical changes,
entrainment, or rhythm generation [39]. Another mechanism proposed for changes
in circadian rhythm during adolescence and early adulthood suggests that age-
related sleep changes are associated with intrinsic changes in the circadian process,
such as age-related variation in the patterns of clock gene expression [40] or changes
in neuronal synchronization at the level of the suprachiasmatic nucleus. This may be
particularly applicable to changes seen in circadian rhythms of the core body tem-
perature and melatonin production in the elderly [41].
evident. After adolescence, the return to earlier sleep time is not completely
understood but may continue to be associated with a balance between process C
and process S.
2.6 Summary
Changes in sleep time and duration occur during childhood and adolescence and
may or may not persist into adulthood. The changes during adolescence have been
studied in relation to the two-process model of sleep regulation and in terms of the
contribution of hormonal changes and social demands during this period. Although
changes in brain development, neuronal connectivity, and neurotransmitter modula-
tion are known during this period, their contribution to sleep and sleep disorders still
need to be elucidated. Importantly, the understanding of sleep neuropharmacology
requires a complete understanding of these changes during adolescence and early
adulthood.
22 L. M. DelRosso et al.
References
1. Berry RB, Quan SF, Abreu AR, Bibbs ML, DelRosso L, Harding SM, et al. The AASM manual
for the scoring of sleep and associated events: rules, terminology and technical specifications,
ver. 2.6. Darien: American Academy of Sleep Medicine; 2020.
2. Kurth S, Dean DC, Achermann P, O’Muircheartaigh J, Huber R, Deoni SC, et al. Increased
sleep depth in developing neural networks: new insights from sleep restriction in children.
Front Hum Neurosci. 2016;10:456.
3. Kryger M, Roth T, Dement WC. Principles and practice of sleep medicine. 6th ed. Amsterdam:
Elsevier; 2017.
4. Touchette E, Petit D, Seguin JR, Boivin M, Tremblay RE, Montplaisir JY. Associations
between sleep duration patterns and behavioral/cognitive functioning at school entry. Sleep.
2007;30(9):1213–9.
5. Kelly Y, Kelly J, Sacker A. Time for bed: associations with cognitive performance in 7-year-
old children: a longitudinal population-based study. J Epidemiol Community Health.
2013;67(11):926–31.
6. Allada R, Cirelli C, Sehgal A. Molecular mechanisms of sleep homeostasis in flies and mam-
mals. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2017;9(8):a027730.
7. van der Knaap MS, van der Grond J, van Rijen PC, Faber JA, Valk J, Willemse K. Age-
dependent changes in localized proton and phosphorus MR spectroscopy of the brain.
Radiology. 1990;176(2):509–15.
8. Ghisleni C, Bollmann S, Poil SS, Brandeis D, Martin E, Michels L, et al. Subcortical glutamate
mediates the reduction of short-range functional connectivity with age in a developmental
cohort. J Neurosci. 2015;35(22):8433–41.
9. Lenroot RK, Gogtay N, Greenstein DK, Wells EM, Wallace GL, Clasen LS, et al. Sexual dimor-
phism of brain developmental trajectories during childhood and adolescence. NeuroImage.
2007;36(4):1065–73.
10. Caviness VS Jr, Kennedy DN, Richelme C, Rademacher J, Filipek PA. The human brain
age 7-11 years: a volumetric analysis based on magnetic resonance images. Cereb Cortex.
1996;6(5):726–36.
11. Ferri R, DelRosso LM, Silvani A, Cosentino FII, Picchietti DL, Mogavero P, et al. Peculiar
lifespan changes of periodic leg movements during sleep in restless legs syndrome. J Sleep
Res. 2020;29(3):e12896.
12. Huttenlocher PR. Synaptic density in human frontal cortex - developmental changes and
effects of aging. Brain Res. 1979;163(2):195–205.
13. Takahashi T, Shirane R, Sato S, Yoshimoto T. Developmental changes of cerebral blood flow
and oxygen metabolism in children. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1999;20(5):917–22.
14. Abd-Allah NM, Hassan FH, Esmat AY, Hammad SA. Age dependence of the levels of plasma
norepinephrine, aldosterone, renin activity and urinary vanillylmandelic acid in normal and
essential hypertensives. Biol Res. 2004;37(1):95–106.
15. Pitzer M. The development of monoaminergic neurotransmitter systems in childhood and ado-
lescence. Int J Dev Neurosci. 2019;74:49–55.
16. Cottingham C, Ferryman CJ, Wang Q. Alpha2 adrenergic receptor trafficking as a therapeutic
target in antidepressant drug action. Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci. 2015;132:207–25.
17. Lidow MS, Rakic P. Scheduling of monoaminergic neurotransmitter receptor expression in the
primate neocortex during postnatal development. Cereb Cortex. 1992;2(5):401–16.
18. Chugani DC, Muzik O, Behen M, Rothermel R, Janisse JJ, Lee J, et al. Developmental
changes in brain serotonin synthesis capacity in autistic and nonautistic children. Ann Neurol.
1999;45(3):287–95.
19. Cirelli C, Tononi G. Cortical development, electroencephalogram rhythms, and the sleep/wake
cycle. Biol Psychiatry. 2015;77(12):1071–8.
20. Grigg-Damberger MM. Oosaifii, childhood, and adolescence. In: Nevšímalová S, Bruni O,
editors. Sleep disorders in children. Cham: Springer; 2021. p. 3–29.
2 Neurological Aspects of Sleep Medicine, How Sleep Evolves, and Regulation… 23
21. Scholle S, Beyer U, Bernhard M, Eichholz S, Erler T, Graness P, et al. Normative values of
polysomnographic parameters in childhood and adolescence: quantitative sleep parameters.
Sleep Med. 2011;12(6):542–9.
22. Berry RB, Gramaldo CE, et al. The AASM manual for the scoring of sleep and associated
events. Darien: AASM; 2017.
23. Garcia-Rill E, Luster B, D’Onofrio S, Mahaffey S, Bisagno V, Urbano FJ. Implications of
gamma band activity in the pedunculopontine nucleus. J Neural Transm. 2016;123(7):655–65.
24. Halasz P. K-complex, a reactive EEG graphoelement of NREM sleep: an old chap in a new
garment. Sleep Med Rev. 2005;9(5):391–412.
25. D’Atri A, Novelli L, Ferrara M, Bruni O, De Gennaro L. Different maturational changes of fast
and slow sleep spindles in the first four years of life. Sleep Med. 2018;42:73–82.
26. Feinberg I, Campbell IG. Sleep EEG changes during adolescence: an index of a fundamental
brain reorganization. Brain Cogn. 2010;72(1):56–65.
27. Chugani HT. A critical period of brain development: studies of cerebral glucose utilization
with PET. Prev Med. 1998;27(2):184–8.
28. Kurth S, Ringli M, Geiger A, LeBourgeois M, Jenni OG, Huber R. Mapping of cortical activity
in the first two decades of life: a high-density sleep electroencephalogram study. J Neurosci.
2010;30(40):13211–9.
29. Ringli M, Huber R. Developmental aspects of sleep slow waves: linking sleep, brain matura-
tion and behavior. Prog Brain Res. 2011;193:63–82.
30. Buchmann A, Ringli M, Kurth S, Schaerer M, Geiger A, Jenni OG, et al. EEG sleep slow-wave
activity as a mirror of cortical maturation. Cereb Cortex. 2011;21(3):607–15.
31. Ferri R, Bruni O, Fulda S, Zucconi M, Plazzi G. A quantitative analysis of the submentalis
muscle electromyographic amplitude during rapid eye movement sleep across the lifespan. J
Sleep Res. 2012;21(3):257–63.
32. Borbely AA. A two process model of sleep regulation. Hum Neurobiol. 1982;1(3):195–204.
33. Lewy AJ, Sack RL. The dim light melatonin onset as a marker for circadian phase position.
Chronobiol Int. 1989;6(1):93–102.
34. Ibuka N, Kawamura H. Loss of circadian rhythm in sleep-wakefulness cycle in the rat by
suprachiasmatic nucleus lesions. Brain Res. 1975;96(1):76–81.
35. Knowles JB, Coulter M, Wahnon S, Reitz W, MacLean AW. Variation in process S: effects on
sleep continuity and architecture. Sleep. 1990;13(2):97–107.
36. Finelli LA, Baumann H, Borbely AA, Achermann P. Dual electroencephalogram markers of
human sleep homeostasis: correlation between theta activity in waking and slow-wave activity
in sleep. Neuroscience. 2000;101(3):523–9.
37. Hagenauer MH, Perryman JI, Lee TM, Carskadon MA. Adolescent changes in the homeostatic
and circadian regulation of sleep. Dev Neurosci. 2009;31(4):276–84.
38. Albers HE. Gonadal hormones organize and modulate the circadian system of the rat. Am J
Phys. 1981;241(1):R62–6.
39. Morishita H, Kawamoto M, Masuda Y, Higuchi K, Tomioka M. Quantitative histological
changes in the hypothalamic nuclei in the prepuberal, puberal and postpuberal female rat.
Brain Res. 1974;76(1):41–7.
40. Yamazaki S, Straume M, Tei H, Sakaki Y, Menaker M, Block GD. Effects of aging on central
and peripheral mammalian clocks. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002;99(16):10801–6.
41. Nakamura TJ, Nakamura W, Yamazaki S, Kudo T, Cutler T, Colwell CS, et al. Age-related
decline in circadian output. J Neurosci. 2011;31(28):10201–5.
42. Jenni OG, Achermann P, Carskadon MA. Homeostatic sleep regulation in adolescents. Sleep.
2005;28(11):1446–54.
43. Skeldon AC, Derks G, Dijk DJ. Modelling changes in sleep timing and duration across the lifes-
pan: changes in circadian rhythmicity or sleep homeostasis? Sleep Med Rev. 2016;28:96–107.
Cardiorespiratory Changes as They
Relate to Sleep in Transition 3
from Pediatric to Adulthood
Giora Pillar
Abbreviation
3.1 Introduction
The cardiorespiratory system plays a major role in sleep, with a bidirectional rela-
tionships. It both affects sleep and is affected by sleep. Sleep deprivation or reduced
sleep quality or sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with a wide range of
diseases and adverse health outcomes, both physical and mental, and specifically in
children may also affect maturation (physical, mental, emotional). Some specific
factors may result in individuals vulnerability to SDB. The interrelationship between
the cardiorespiratory system and sleep may be affected by age and may change dur-
ing development. They are influenced by a variety of complex internal and external
factors. The current chapter describes various anatomical and physiological changes
in cardiovascular characteristics and their effects on sleep, during the transition
from childhood into adulthood. It focuses on characteristics that are likely to affect
or be affected by sleep such as upper airway (UAW) anatomy/physiology, cortical/
autonomic arousal thresholds, and vascular endothelial function.
G. Pillar (*)
Department of Pediatrics and Sleep Lab, Carmel Hospital, and Technion Faculty of Medicine,
Haifa, Israel
e-mail: gpillar@technion.ac.il; giorapi@clalit.org.il
Anatomical abnormalities in the upper airway (UAW) play a major role in the
pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in all ages. In children, it is very
common to find hypertrophy of adenoids and/or tonsils, while in adults, anatomical
abnormalities may consist of fat deposits within the UAW making them narrow,
crowded posterior pharyngeal space (with or without enlarged tonsils), long UAW,
or change in the antero-posterior to lateral dimensions of the UAW. In some specific
pediatric syndromes, airway anatomy can be compromised. These include children
with Apert, Crouzon, or Pfeiffer syndrome, who develop obstructive sleep apnea
(OSA) mainly due to midface hypoplasia. Midface advancement is often the treat-
ment of choice, which results in moderate success [1]. It has recently been shown
that in children with craniosynostosis syndromes the cross-sectional retropalatal
area is predictive of OSA [2]. Children with Pierre Robin (PR) sequence [3] or
Treacher Collins syndrome [4] commonly suffer from OSA due to retromicrogna-
thia or mandibular hypoplasia [5]. There are several common imaging techniques
utilized to demonstrate these, such as CT, MRI, or video nasopharyngoscopy (VNP)
[6]. Mandibular distraction with mandible advancement which increases the airway
lumen is an effective treatment in such children [7]. Several such children who suf-
fered from severe OSA who required tracheostomy were completely cured follow-
ing this procedure [8]. Additional disorders which may be associated with inadequate
airway anatomy include cleft lip and palate [9], Chiari malformation [10], Schwartz-
Jampel syndrome [11], and achondroplasia [12, 13]. Down syndrome is an addi-
tional well-established disorder associated with high prevalence of OSA. It affects
both the anatomy and the physiology of the UAW, making them vulnerable for
collapse. Children with Down syndrome commonly have lymphoid hyperplasia,
macroglossia, and narrow nasopharynx [14–16], along with hypotony of the upper
airway dilatory muscles. Additional anatomical features of Down syndrome include
pharyngeal and maxillary hypoplasia and sometimes constricted maxillary arch
with nasal obstruction. Maxillary expansion has been suggested to relieve airway
obstruction in these children [17]. In adults, the most recognized anatomical risk
factor for OSA is obesity, especially the male-type obesity which can be observed
by increased neck circumference. Retrognathia, a small, crowded posterior pharyn-
geal space (with or without enlarged tonsils), and/or nasal obstruction can also
result in susceptibility for airway obstruction. The current chapter focuses on two
major anatomical changes which occur in the transition from childhood to adult-
hood: changes in tonsillar and adenoidal sizes and changes in upper airway length.
Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is the most common cause of OSAS in children, but not
in adults. Understanding the natural history of adenoids and tonsils and the factors
responsible for their growth and regression during development is of great impor-
tance especially for planning the treatment of OSA. While in children both adenoids
3 Cardiorespiratory Changes as They Relate to Sleep in Transition from Pediatric… 27
and tonsils generally have a major effect on the UAW, obesity when present may
have a major effect as well [18]. The impact of adenotonsillar size on childhood
OSA may be altered by both age and obesity [19, 20]. Tagaya et al. [19] emphasized
that the correlation between adenoid size and OSA is more prominent in preschool
children than in school-aged children. In quite many other studies, the correlation
between adenotonsillar size and severity of OSA was relatively small. Although
generally in most children with OSA the majority of the studies indicate that there
is increased tonsillar and adenoidal size [19, 21–25], it cannot well predict the
severity of the OSA. However, adenotonsillectomy has been shown as the most
effective treatment for children with OSA [26–31]. Since adenoid and tonsil hyper-
trophy is similar between genders, it may explain the similar prevalence of OSA in
prepubertal boys and girls (as opposed to the well-established substantial male pre-
dominance in adults with OSA). The adenoids are midline structures of lymphoepi-
thelial tissue located in the superior aspect and the roof of the nasopharynx. They
are part of the Waldeyer ring, whose components include the adenoids, the palatine
tonsils, and the lingual tonsils. They are composed of lymphoid tissues which are
considered (along with other lymphatic tissue in the nasopharynx) as the first line of
defense against ingested or inhaled pathogens. They are part of the lymphoid system
and are involved in the development of both B and T cells. Within the adenoidal
tissues, the immune system battles against infections. Activation of B cells within
the adenoids leads to their proliferation and hypertrophy. Recent studies have pro-
vided some evidence that adenoids produce T lymphocytes as well [32–34]. They
can be identified in utero (usually as early as the seventh month of gestation) and
typically grow until ages 4–7 when they reach their peak size. Commonly, their
hypertrophy is in parallel to upper respiratory tract infections, but their hypertrophy
can also be seen without chronic infections. They then tend to diminish in size until
they are almost unseen at puberty and adolescence in most individuals [32, 33, 35].
Early studies reported that in general adenoids and tonsils reach approximately
200% growth by late childhood and then involute during adulthood [36]. Other
studies also showed that adenoids decrease in size with age, typically atrophying
completely by the teenage years [37]. In a recent Japanese study, it was reported that
adenoidal and tonsillar size gradually decreased when compared between lower
primary school stage (ages 3–6) and young adult stage (ages 18–20 years). However,
they showed that sometimes adenoids, and even more often tonsils, do not com-
pletely vanish and in some individuals they may persist into adulthood [38]. Chuang
et al. [39] on the other hand reported that increased neck circumference and tonsillar
hypertrophy were the most influential factors for younger children, whereas adenoi-
dal hypertrophy became more important at an older age [39]. It should be high-
lighted that even when the lymphoid tissues of the adenoids and/or tonsils do not
decrease with age, their impact on the upper airway diminishes since the upper air-
way grows substantially and thus the ratio of lymphoid size within the lumen tend
to decrease even then [38]. Persistence of adenoid tissue into adulthood is an uncom-
mon clinical finding and when seen should raise suspicion of immunocompromised
patients, in whom this finding may be caused by regressed adenoid tissue reprolif-
erating in response to infections [19, 32–35].
28 G. Pillar
Similarly to adenoids, tonsils tend to grow during childhood, reach the maximal
relative size around age 5.1–8 years [40], and then regress. In some adults, tonsils
may remain enlarged into adulthood. There are several methods for assessing tonsil-
lar size such as by subjective score during physical examination, imaging tech-
niques such as MRI or transcervical ultrasonography, endoscopy, digital
morphometrics based on a laser ruler, and more. This chapter does not focus on the
way of assessing tonsillar size but rather on their change from childhood to adult-
hood and on their impact in terms of sleep-disordered breathing. In children without
sleep-disordered breathing, using MRI, Arens et al. [41] reported that soft tissues,
including tonsils and adenoid, grow proportionally to the skeletal structures during
the development from age 1 to 11 years [41]. Cohen et al. [40] on the other hand
reported that the bony nasopharynx and the pharyngeal tonsil tissue both grow dur-
ing childhood. Different growth rates result in the narrowest airway in the age group
of 5.1–8 years [40]. While the transition from childhood to adulthood is associated
with reduced tonsillar size, it is usually also associated with increased weight, which
questions the relative contribution of each to OSA. In a study by Dayyat et al. [20],
412 children with OSA, with or without obesity, were assessed for tonsils and ade-
noid sizes and Mallampati class scores. They reported that the magnitude of adeno-
tonsillar hypertrophy required for any given magnitude of obstructive
apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) is more likely to be smaller in obese children com-
pared to nonobese children. Increased Mallampati scores in obese children sug-
gested that soft-tissue changes and potentially fat deposition in the upper airway
may play a significant role in the global differences in tonsillar and adenoidal size
among obese and nonobese children with OSA [20]. Interestingly, in obese adoles-
cents aged 12–16 years, Schwab et al. [42] found that increased size of the pharyn-
geal lymphoid tissue, rather than enlargement of the upper airway soft tissue
structures, is the primary anatomic risk factor for OSA. Thus, they suggested that
adenotonsillectomy (and not only weight reduction) should be considered as the
initial treatment for OSA in obese adolescents [42].
When tonsils remain enlarged into adulthood, they definitely have an effect and
may contribute to OSA. Tonsillectomy in adults with OSA and tonsillar hypertro-
phy revealed positive therapeutic results in many studies [43–45]. Furthermore, ton-
sillar hypertrophy may have an effect on other therapies. Tschopp has recently
shown that tonsil grade and volume both showed a significant correlation with pre-
operative AHI [43]. They have performed uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) to
their patients and found that the AHI reduction after surgery increased significantly
with larger volume and higher tonsil grade [43]. They concluded that large tonsils
are responsible for higher preoperative AHI values, and their removal leads to
greater reduction of initial AHI. Interestingly, in contrast to previous studies, Jara
and Weaver reported that subjective tonsillar grade was more strongly associated
with AHI than objectively measured tonsillar volume [46]. They therefore con-
cluded that the space that the tonsils occupy within the oropharyngeal airway, rather
than their actual measured volume, is more predictive of OSA severity [46].
To summarize this part, pharyngeal lymphoid tissues (tonsils and adenoids) tend
to grow during childhood initially more than the upper airway, resulting in a peak
3 Cardiorespiratory Changes as They Relate to Sleep in Transition from Pediatric… 29
relative size during early childhood. These tissues tend to shrink during adolescence
into adulthood, but not in all. When these tissues remain enlarged in adults, they do
play a role in the pathophysiology of OSA and their removal results in alleviation of
sleep-disordered breathing.
The length of the pharyngeal airway (from the hard palate to the epiglottis) is also
of great importance while dealing with UAW anatomical changes from childhood to
adulthood. It is a physical characteristic of a collapsible tube to increase collaps-
ibility as the tube is longer. In adults, it was previously reported that UAW length
was higher in normal males compared to females, even after correction for body
height [47]. It was therefore concluded that UAW length may play a role in the male
predisposition to pharyngeal collapse [47]. Furthermore, a major impact of UAW
length on pharyngeal mechanics and collapsibility have been demonstrated utilizing
computational modeling [47]. In adolescents, however, it has been found that the
UAW length in pre-pubertal children is equal between genders, while following
puberty, males were found to have longer upper airways than females (corrected for
height). This study of 69 healthy adolescents who had undergone CT scans of the
neck may therefore partially potentially explain the relatively strong male predomi-
nance in adults but not in children with OSA [48]. The transition from childhood to
adolescence was not associated with general lengthening of the corrected UAW
length (UAW length divided by height) but rather with gender effects [48], i.e., the
ratio of UAW length to body height becomes higher in males vs females. Thus,
gender-related differences in upper airway length may explain to some extent the
male predisposition to airway collapse that occurs in post-pubertals and adults.
Moreover, data show that UAW length is greater in patients with OSA than in con-
trols, with a positive significant correlation between the UAW length and the sever-
ity of OSA [49]. This was the case in both adults [49] and children [50]. Fifty
children aged 10.3 ± 0.6 years with syndromic craniosynostoses (50% boys, 48%
with OSA) underwent both UAW imaging and sleep studies. Those with OSA had
significantly higher UAW length (P = 0.016) [50]. Interestingly, weight gain and
obesity may play a role in this regard as well. It was recently reported that weight
gain leads to significant fat infiltration in the tongue, causing the hyoid to move
downward and lengthen the airway in patients with OSA [51]. The apnea-hypopnea
index (AHI) strongly correlated to airway length and tongue size [51]. Furthermore,
24 weeks of weight reduction program in patients with OSA resulted in UAW length
shortening, although the exact mechanisms remained unclear [52]. Thus, UAW
length is an important anatomical feature of the airway which should be taken into
consideration when assessing tendency to collapse and potential explanation of
OSA in both children and adults. It seems that the most relevant change that occurs
from childhood to adulthood is the greater corrected UAW length in males vs
females. The higher UAW length seen in OSA vs non-OSA patients seems similar
in children and adults.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
CHAPTER X.
BATTLE OF MECHANICSVILLE.
Two days later Gen. Stoneman pushed forward with cavalry and
artillery, on a bold reconnoissance toward the rebel capital. Gen.
Davidson’s Brigade followed, as a support, the rest of the Division
remaining behind. About four o’clock in the afternoon, the General
fell in with the enemy—“Howell Cobb’s Brigade”—who retreated after
a few shots had been exchanged. Stoneman again moved forward,
halting for the night just east of Beaver Dam Creek, and the Brigade,
crossing over, took up position on an elevated spot, and slept on
their arms. This creek is a narrow, muddy stream, emptying into the
Chickahominy.
A part of the Thirty-third were employed on picket duty until the
next morning, being stationed in close proximity to the rebels. At
daybreak the infantry pushed on towards Mechanicsville; General
Stoneman with the cavalry proceeding further to the right. Three
companies of the Thirty-third acted as the advance guard, and were
deployed as skirmishers. When within two hundred yards of
Mechanicsville, the rebels, who had fallen back during the night,
were discovered drawn up in the principal street, and in a
neighboring grove. The skirmishers immediately opened upon them,
when taking refuge in buildings and behind walls, they returned the
fire.
The whole Brigade now moved up on both sides of the road, and
two sections of Wheeler’s battery were got into position, and
commenced tossing shell into the village. This placed the
skirmishers between two fires, and for a time, they were nearly as
much exposed to our own as the rebels. One had his canteen
perforated by a piece of shell thrown from the Union battery, another
had a part of his shoe taken away. The firing of the rebel cannoniers,
at first slow, became very rapid and accurate as the battle
progressed. One solid shot passed between Major Platner and
Captain Guion, as they stood conversing together. A second whizzed
close by the head of Colonel Taylor’s horse, and a third striking the
roll of blankets strapped on behind a horseman, threw them high into
the air. Every one held their breath for a moment, supposing that it
was the rider himself, but he escaped unharmed.
The guns were afterwards removed to the right of the skirmishers,
and a section of flying artillery posted on the left. A heavy fire was
now concentrated on the buildings in which the confederates had
concealed themselves, soon causing an exodus on their part, and
the whole force commenced falling back in the direction of
Richmond. Seeing this, Gen. Davidson ordered a charge, when the
Thirty-third and Seventy-seventh gallantly charged down upon the
place, driving everything before them.
MECHANICSVILLE, VA.
Large numbers of knapsacks and blankets which the rebels had
thrown away in their flight were picked up in the streets. They were
most of them marked “Rome (Ga.) Light Guards.” Guns, equipments,
blankets, and other materials of war, were likewise found in large
quantities. Nearly all the houses were more or less pockmarked with
shot and shell. The Mayor’s residence, an elegant mansion, had
been struck seventeen different times. Those of the inhabitants who
had not fled, were found packed away like sardines, in cellars and
other places of refuge. They were very much frightened, and not until
repeatedly assured that we would not harm them, could they be
prevailed upon to come out.
After taking possession of the village, a line of skirmishers was
thrown out half a mile on the Richmond road. Detachments of the
Thirty-third, Seventh Maine, and five companies of cavalry were left
in charge of the town. They were relieved upon the following day,
and rejoined their regiments on the Beaver Dam, to which the
Brigade had returned after the engagement. Some members of
Company E discovered a grist mill here, and spent most of the night
in grinding corn, and making hoe-cake.
Gen. Stoneman had in the meantime proceeded several miles to
the right, and accomplished the object of the expedition by
destroying the Richmond and Fredericksburg railroad bridge over the
Chickahominy.
With one exception this was the nearest point attained to
Richmond during the entire Peninsular campaign. Gen. Hooker, after
the battle of Fair Oaks, followed the fleeing enemy to within less than
four miles of their capital.
That it could then have been taken had General Davidson’s
brigade been reinforced and permitted to proceed, is a truth which
admits of no denial. There were no rebel forces between
Mechanicsville and the city, with the exception of those driven from
the former place, they being concentrated on the left of our lines.
There were no fortifications of any extent on that side of the capital,
as the attack was expected to be made from the other direction. The
approaches were all left open, and the appearance of this single
brigade of “Yankees” struck terror to the rebels, who inferred that all
was lost.
CHAPTER XI.
“Gaines’ Farm.”—Liberty Hall.—Battle of Seven Pines.—Fair Oaks.—Rapid rise
of the Chickahominy.—The Gaines Estate.—An aged Negro.—Golden’s
Farm.—Camp Lincoln.—Letter from an Officer.
Camp Lincoln.
The Regiment remained here until the 5th of June, when the
Division was ordered to cross the Chickahominy and encamp on
“Golden’s Farm,” nearly opposite. The Third Brigade took the
advance. Owing to the high stage of the water, it was obliged to
proceed down the river to “Dispatch Station,” before effecting a
crossing. When marching up on the opposite bank, the men fell in
with a gray-haired, toothless negro, 102 years of age, who
entertained them with a recital of many incidents which had
transpired during his long period of slave life. After having marched
over fifteen miles to reach a point only three miles opposite the old
encampment, the Thirty-third arrived at Golden’s Farm, where
Baxter’s Fire Zouaves, of Philadelphia, were found briskly
skirmishing with the enemy.
Our artillery, which immediately opened upon them, put the rebels
to flight, and the picket line was moved forward, for some distance.
Col. Taylor halted his command in a beautiful corn-field, and on the
following day occupied a more advanced position, less than one
thousand yards from the enemy’s lines. There it remained until the
28th of June, the spot being christened “Camp Lincoln.”
An officer of the Regiment, in a communication from here, dated
June 8th, wrote:
“We are now six miles from Richmond, behind entrenchments,
waiting for something to turn up. The pickets are very close together,
and many prisoners are coming in every day. A Sergeant and five
men just came through the lines, and reported to Colonel Taylor,
Field Officer of the day. The Sergeant is from Ulster County, N. Y.
Doubtless a great number would desert, if it were possible to do so
without incurring danger. Yesterday much amusement was created
by the operation of a new and original line of telegraph between our
forces and the enemy. It seems a number of dogs have been
wandering around in front for some days. One of them yesterday
came in with a letter tied around his neck. It was read by our men,
the Thirty-third being on picket duty at the time, and an answer sent
back the same way; another note was likewise written, and
answered. The import of the first letter was, that they were much
‘obliged for the tender of cannon they took from us the other day,
and anything more of the same sort sent them, they would cheerfully
receive.’ No doubt of it. The second was rough in its language, and
full of empty boastings. The battle-field of last Saturday week is
close by us, and bears evidence of the murderous conflict, when
tens of thousands bore down upon barely a Division, and
unsuccessfully tried to cut them off, or thrust or crush them into the
river.
The difficulties attendant upon transporting troops and various
munitions of war, has retarded us some, but now we are ready. This
morning (the Sabbath) there was some sharp firing in front, but it
was quickly subdued by a battery of our 20-pounders. A new
Regiment has been added to our Brigade—Col. Max Weber’s
Regiment—the 20th N. Y. Vols. We have a fine Brigade now, and our
General thinks an effective one. Our picket line has been advanced
twice, the enemy retiring each time. The regular receipt of the mails
has been interrupted again, and of course is a source of regret to us.
Sitting on the ramparts of our rifle-pits this morning, writing this letter,
the view looking up the river, reminds one of Big Flats, at Geneseo,
flooded by heavy rains. The stream here is unusually high. An old
negro, 102 years old, who has always lived in this section, says that
he never knew such an immense quantity of rain to fall before in the
same space of time, at this season of the year. Gen. Prim and Staff,
with our Division Staff, just passed through our camp on a
reconnoissance to the front.”
CHAPTER XII.
Proximity to the Rebels.—Colonel Taylor fired at by a Sharpshooter.—Picket
Skirmishing.—Building a Bridge.—Position of Affairs.—General McClellan
Reconnoitring.—He writes to the President.—Lee’s Plans.—Second Battle of
Mechanicsville.—Shelling the Thirty-third’s Camp.—Battle of Gaines’ Farm.
—A Retreat to the James decided upon.