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Sleep Disorders And The Ans


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Making the rounds of medical articles and found this:

http://ajpheart.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/295/5/H2156

PER3 polymorphism and cardiac autonomic control: effects of sleep debt and circadian phase

Antoine U. Viola, Lynette M. James, Simon N. Archer, and Derk-Jan Dijk

Surrey Sleep Research Centre, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom

Submitted 24 June 2008 ; accepted in final form 26 September 2008

A variable number tandem repeat polymorphism in the coding region of the circadian clock PERIOD3 (PER3) gene has been shown to affect sleep. Because circadian rhythms and sleep are known to modulate sympathovagal balance, we investigated whether homozygosity for this PER3 polymorphism is associated with changes in autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity during sleep and wakefulness at baseline and after sleep deprivation. Twenty-two healthy participants were selected according to their PER3 genotype. ANS activity, evaluated by heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) indexes, was quantified during baseline sleep, a 40-h period of wakefulness, and recovery sleep. Sleep deprivation induced an increase in slow-wave sleep (SWS), a decrease in the global variability, and an unbalance of the ANS with a loss of parasympathetic predominance and an increase in sympathetic activity. Individuals homozygous for the longer allele (PER35/5) had more SWS, an elevated sympathetic predominance, and a reduction of parasympathetic activity compared with PER34/4, in particular during baseline sleep. The effects of genotype were strongest during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and absent or much smaller during REM sleep. The NREM-REM cycle-dependent modulation of the low frequency-to-(low frequency + high frequency) ratio was diminished in PER35/5 individuals. Circadian phase modulated HR and HRV, but no interaction with genotype was observed. In conclusion, the PER3 polymorphism affects the sympathovagal balance in cardiac control in NREM sleep similar to the effect of sleep deprivation.

clock gene; autonomic nervous system; cardiovascular risk; slow wave activity

The PER3 gene is the one that determines whether or not you have a normal, delayed, or advanced circadian rhythm. So sleep deprivation can affect the ANS like the DSPS (delayed sleep phase syndrome) mutation. If you already have the altered PER3 gene, then this suggests that sleep deprivation will further disrupt the ANS into a hyper-sympathetic mode.

great, just great...more norepinephrine, just what I need. Only 12 more years and I am going back to a nocturnal lifestyle! -_-

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Hi Jennifer,

Thanks for posting that. Makes me think I should try the cpap again. I tried it for 2 weeks, and got very little sleep, and the machine was running on the floor. I never could leave it on my face! So can you get tested for this gene? Well I hope it won't take you 12 years to get some better sleep!!!!

Hugs

Suzy

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Hi Jennifer,

Thanks for posting that. Makes me think I should try the cpap again. I tried it for 2 weeks, and got very little sleep, and the machine was running on the floor. I never could leave it on my face! So can you get tested for this gene? Well I hope it won't take you 12 years to get some better sleep!!!!

Hugs

Suzy

Yes you should try it again! Take your unit in to your sleep doc and make sure it is fitted properly to your face, it may be as simple as that! You can get tested for the PER3 gene, but I was not. Anecdotal evidence, sleep logs, family history and 24 hour holter monitor were enough to diagnose my DSPS. My ANS symptoms were not that bad if I could sleep on my own schedule (self employed and my older son has the same sleep disorder, just like my mother and grandmother)...which I did until 6 years ago when all this started building up. That article just throws more weight behind the ANS/sleep disorder thing and how sleep deprivation makes us all worse.

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I don't have it anymore, because I was paying monthly for it! I stopped using it because I barely slept the whole time I used it Then when I got a sinus infection which I never get that was the end of it for me. But I did read someone who said they wore it for a couple of weeks awake, before they slept in it. I think if I tried that I might be able to adjust. Maybe I will see another sleep specialist and ask him about the gene too. Good luck with getting sleep, and thanks for sharing this.

Hugs

Suzy

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Hi,

Thanks for sharing! This is interesting... I think this would to me. I did FINALLY get a script for a sleep study. So we shall see! I thought that the most interesting was that on some of my latest test results they used the terminology- impaired symathovagal balance. Interesting....

<_<

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