Study Objectives
We propose to identify different sleep phenotypes in infancy, relying on autovideosomnography metrics.
Methods
In this cross-sectional study, objective infant sleep metrics of six hundred twenty-three infants aged 9 to 13 months, recruited among users of Nanit baby-monitor in the United States, were obtained from Nanit auto-videosomnography (1 week of data averaged) in the child’s natural sleep environment. A cluster analysis was conducted to group infants based on sleep metrics.
Results
Three reproducible and stable sleep phenotypes were identified: Long Sleepers (n.338), Interrupted Sleepers (n.130) and Short Sleepers (n.155). All sleep metrics were statistically significant different in the three groups. Long Sleepers had longer nighttime sleep duration than Interrupted and Short Sleepers. Interrupted Sleepers presented more awakenings than Short and Long Sleepers, and similarly more parental interventions. Short Sleepers presented later bedtimes and earlier wake up times when compared with Long and Interrupted Sleepers. Nighttime sleep efficiency was better in Long Sleepers than in Interrupted and Short Sleepers, but Short Sleepers presented better sleep efficiency than Interrupted Sleepers.
Conclusions
Cluster analysis based on objective sleep metrics offers a novel multidimensional approach for the early identification of infants' sleep patterns. Phenotyping sleep patterns is extremely important in identifying the risk for developing neurobehavioral disorders since night wakings and reduced sleep duration in infancy might be predictive of the development of emotional and behavioral problems later in childhood.
About the Researchers
The researchers included Maria Breda, Maristella Lucchini, Natalie Barnett, Oliviero Bruni.
- Dr. Maristella Lucchini serves as Senior Clinical Researcher at Nanit. In her role, Maristella works to secure grant funding in collaboration with Nanit’s university research partners and supports the development of the company’s research collaborations around the world. Previously, Maristella served as an Assistant Research Scientist in the Division of Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center where she led projects across several cohorts focusing on sleep health for pregnant and postpartum women and their children. Maristella’s research focused on underserved communities and sleep health disparities in the perinatal period. During her years as a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in the Department of Psychiatry, Maristella was selected to participate in the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Young Investigator Research Forum. She holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Politecnico di Milano.
- Dr. Natalie Barnett serves as VP of Clinical Research at Nanit. Natalie initiated sleep research collaborations at Nanit and in her current role, Natalie oversees collaborations with researchers at hospitals and universities around the world who use the Nanit camera to better understand pediatric sleep and leads the internal sleep and development research programs at Nanit. Natalie holds a Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of New England in Australia and a Postgraduate Certificate in Pediatric Sleep Science from the University of Western Australia. Natalie was an Assistant Professor in the Neurogenetics Unit at NYU School of Medicine prior to joining Nanit. Natalie is also the voice of Nanit's science-backed, personalized sleep tips delivered to users throughout their baby's first few years.