Development of the sleep evaluation method using salivary hormone secretion in infants

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K14806
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 45060:Applied anthropology-related
• Research Institution: Shiga University
• Principal Investigator: Ohira Masako 滋賀大学, 教育学部, 准教授 (40616190)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 幼児 / 睡眠 / 唾液 / ホルモン / DHEA / コルチゾール

Outline of Final Research Achievements

There are significant practical limitations in assessing the quality of a toddler’s sleep. In response to this, the applicant focused on hormones, especially dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), as a new indicator. In the present study, we tested the secretion of DHEA during waking hours in toddlers by comparing it with a conventional index. In addition, the usefulness and limitations of the index as a sleep assessment will be clarified, and the scope of applicability and methodological limitations will be validated by the results of the study scientifically. The results showed a significant positive correlation between DHEA secretion immediately after waking up and the variable "sleep quality." They also showed that the amount of DHEA secretion immediately after waking up reflected the "sleep quality" in toddlers as well as in adults, suggesting that this may be a possible sleep assessment index.

Free Research Field

健康科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

子どもは自分の睡眠状態を話すことが出来ないし、実験室内で多くの機械を装着して、睡眠の質を測定することも難しい。これに対して、研究代表者は起床後のわずかな唾液のみで、子どもの睡眠評価を実現できないかを実験的に検証した。その結果、起床直後のある性ホルモンの分泌量が増えるほど、子どもの「睡眠の質」が良い傾向にあることが明らかになった。更なる検証を続けることで、新たな睡眠評価手法を構築できるかもしれない。