Abstract
Abstract: In 1966, Howard Roffwarg proposed the ontogenic sleep hypothesis, relating neural plasticity and development to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, a hypothesis that current fetal and neonatal sleep research is still exploring. Recently, technological advances have enabled researchers to automatically quantify neonatal sleep architecture, which has caused a resurgence of research in this field as attempts are made to further elucidate the important role of sleep in pre- and postnatal brain development. This article will review our current understanding of the role of sleep as a driver of brain development and identify possible areas for future research. Impact: The evidence to date suggests that Roffwarg’s ontogenesis hypothesis of sleep and brain development is correct. A better understanding of the relationship between sleep and the development of functional connectivity is needed. Reliable, non-invasive tools to assess sleep in the NICU and at home need to be tested in a real-world environment and the best way to promote healthy sleep needs to be understood before clinical trials promoting and optimizing sleep quality in neonates could be undertaken.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 2619 |
Pages (from-to) | 1503–1509 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Pediatric Research |
Volume | 96 |
Issue number | 6 |
Early online date | 3 Jul 2024 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Nov 2024 |