Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Franco, P.
• Raoux, A.
• Kugener, B.
• Scaillet, S.
• Groswasser, J.
• Kato, I.
• Montemitro, E.
• Lin, J.S.

Titel

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: From Epidemiology to Pathophysiology

Ist Teil von

• Encyclopedia of Sleep, 2013, Vol.2, p.638-644

Ort / Verlag

Elsevier Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2013

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Despite the dramatic decline in the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) by 50–90% over the past two decades, SIDS continues to be the leading cause of death in infants aged between 1 month and 1 year in developed countries. We will review the most recent epidemiological, electrophysiological, genetic, and pathological research on this topic. From these data, a comprehensive model for SIDS has been proposed: the death would result from the combination of three factors (a prenatal vulnerability, a critical developmental period, and an exogenous postnatal stress) and three potential mechanisms (deficiencies in breathing, autonomic, and sleep–wake controls). An infant could be vulnerable to SIDS because of a deficiency in the medullary 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) system due to environmental or genetic causes. This system has a key role in homeostatic functions involving respiratory, cardiovascular, and arousal controls. The infant's vulnerability lies latent until he/she enters the critical developmental period from 2 to 6 months when significant changes in sleep–wake, breathing, and autonomic controls occur. The accident has a greater probability of occurring when the infant is exposed to an infection, or an unfavorable environmental factor which enhances the immature cardio respiratory and sleep/wake behaviors of the infant.