Study examines effect of structural brain changes in children who snore

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – A study at the Maryland School of Medicine is linking structural brain changes to behavioral problems in children who snore.

Dr. Mercedes Bello, a pediatric neurologist with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, said that while there’s a clear link to snoring and behavioral problems, the investigation went further to uncover a connection between snoring and the development of the frontal lobe of the brain.

“They found that volume decreased in the frontal lobes in patients who have snoring and sleep apnea. The frontal lobe is the part of the brain that’s in charge of attention, processing impulse control,” she said.

Bello said the frontal lobe is a large area of the brain that also controls intelligence.

The study focused on children between the ages of 9 to 10 years old.

Neurology specialists say additional research is needed on younger children, before areas of the frontal lobe start developing.

And a new study by the University of Arizona is raising that concerns about the impact of potential climate change on reproductive decision making.

When deciding whether or not to have children, researchers said many respondents expressed concern about the health of the environment.

Over-population and over consumption were also concerns expressed among those interviewed for the study.


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