Hypnopolygraphic alterations in attention deficit disorder (ADD) children

Abstract

The sleep pattern of 13 prepubertal children, nonmedicated, rigourously diagnosed as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) was recorded for two consecutive nights. Analyses of sleep pattern variables revealed a marked reduction of sleep onset latency (p <. 01), a great number of nocturnal awakenings (p <. 01), and a high increase of Delta sleep percentage (p <. 01) for the ADD children compared to normals. In addition, the two subtypes of the disorder—ADD with hyperactivity (ADD/H) and ADD without hyperactivity (ADD/WO) or ADD undifferentiated—showed distinct hypnopolygraphic correlates. Those ADD/H children had a greater sleep fragmentation and a lesser degree of sleep efficiency. These findings would support the hypothesis that ADD is related to a deficient control of arousal level and, on the other hand, suggest that ADD/H and ADD/WO are different clinical entities.