Elucidating the Mechanism by Which Pediatric Sleep Bruxism Aggravates Sleep-Disordered Breathing

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K21086
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0907:Oral science and related fields
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Yuki Shiraishi 大阪大学, 大学院歯学研究科, 助教 (40912457)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 睡眠時ブラキシズム / 小児 / 睡眠呼吸障害

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we examined the instability of respiratory dynamics associated with rhythmic masticatory muscle activity (RMMA) using overnight polysomnography data from children with sleep bruxism. The results revealed that in healthy children, masseter muscle activity accompanied by transient arousals or apnea does not significantly disrupt sleep continuity. Additionally, we quantified respiratory effort from the amplitude of intercostal muscle electromyography as a change in respiratory dynamics. Moving forward, by comparing children with sleep bruxism who have comorbid sleep-disordered breathing with healthy children, it will be possible to further investigate the factors by which instability of respiratory dynamics exacerbates the fragmentation of sleep architecture.

Free Research Field

睡眠歯科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

小児における、睡眠時ブラキシズムと睡眠時呼吸障害の相関や病態生理は不明な点が多い。本申請課題により、健常な小児では、一時的な覚醒や呼吸停止を伴う咬筋活動が生じても、睡眠が分断されにくいことを明らかにした点で学術的に意義がある。また、今後、睡眠時ブラキシズムを有する小児で、睡眠呼吸障害を併発する小児と健常な小児を比較することで、呼吸動態の不安定性が睡眠構築の分断化を増悪させる因子についてさらなる検討が可能となった。睡眠時ブラキシズムが睡眠呼吸障害の病態の増悪を介して、健全な発達が障害されるメカニズムが明らかとなれば、両疾患の治療が発達障害に対するアプローチの一つとなる可能性があると考える。