Age and gender-related neurophysiological changes in sleep and wake states during childhood.

ABSTRACT: Brain maturation and sleep patterns evolve throughout childhood, intricately influencing cognitive functions. However, it remains unclear whether changes in sleep and cognition follow similar or distinct trajectories as a function of age and gender during childhood. We included 61 healthy children (30 boys and 31 girls), aged 5-12 years old, who completed a visual memory task and a sustained attention to response task (SART), before and after undergoing one night of polysomnography at home. Our findings revealed large age-related associations in girls, with N3 and REM durations decreasing and sleep spindle frequency during N2 increasing across development. Conversely, these patterns were not observed in boys. Moreover, a significant interaction showed a shift in delta power topography from

SUBMITTER: Mammeri K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12861257 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature