Effect of alpha-methyldopa administration during pregnancy on the development of a child's sleep.
A male infant was born to a mother who had been suffering from primary hyperaldosteronism with the administration of alpha-methyldopa (MD) during pregnancy. His behavioral development, especially that of sleep, was studied by means of sleep-awake rhythm and polysomnography recordings (PSG) from 2 months to 2 years and 5 months of age. His daily sleep-awake rhythm showed some abnormal pattern. As to the PSG, the proportion of each sleep stage was normal and the two types of body movements (BM) showed various patterns. A paradoxical increase was seen in the twitch movement of some muscles. MD affects the catecholamine system in the CNS and human sleep. Since the sleep-awake rhythm and BM are thought to be related to the monoaminergic system in the CNS, we assume that his behavior and sleep disorders are the effects of the maternal MD administration during pregnancy.
D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008750:Methyldopa / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000187:drug effects
D008750:Methyldopa