title: Iron-deficiency anemia is associated with altered characteristics of sleep spindles in NREM sleep in infancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of iron-deficiency anemia on the development of non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep stages, as indexed by sleep spindles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patterns of sleep spindles during NREM sleep stages 2 and 3-4 (slow-wave-sleep, SWS) were compared in 26 otherwise healthy 6-month-old Chilean infants with iron-deficiency anemia and 18 non-anemic control infants. From polygraphic recordings, EEG activity was analyzed for sleep spindles to assess their number (density), duration, frequency, and inter-spindle interval.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Iron-deficient anemic infants differed from the control group by having sleep spindles with reduced density, lower frequency, and longer inter-spindle intervals in NREM sleep stage 2 and SWS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results provide evidence of delayed sleep spindle patterns in iron-deficient anemic infants, suggesting that iron is an essential micronutrient for the normal progression of NREM sleep pattern development in the human.
authors.affiliation: Sleep and Functional Neurobiology Laboratory, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), University of Chile, Av. JP Alessandri 5540, Santiago, 11, Chile. ppeirano@inta.cl
authors.forename: Patricio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peirano
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Algarín
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.forename: Diógenes
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Algarín
authors.forename: Betsy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lozoff
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003625:Data Collection; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004569:Electroencephalography; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D017286:Polysomnography; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins