title: Developmental alterations of the auditory brainstem centers--pathogenetic implications in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
abstract: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), despite the success of campaigns to reduce its risks, is the leading cause of infant death in the Western world. Even though the pathogenesis remains unexplained, brainstem abnormalities of the neuronal network that mediates breathing and protective responses to asphyxia, particularly in the arousal phase from sleep, are believed to play a fundamental role. This is the first study to identify, in SIDS, developmental defects of specific brainstem centers involved in hearing pathways, particularly in the cochlear and vestibular nuclei, in the superior olivary complex and in the inferior colliculus, suggesting a possible influence of the acoustic system on respiratory activity. In 49 SIDS cases and 20 controls an in-depth anatomopathological examination of the autonomic nervous system was performed, with the main aim of detecting developmental alterations of brainstem structures controlling both the respiratory and auditory activities. Overall, a significantly higher incidence of cytoarchitectural alterations of both the auditory and respiratory network components were observed in SIDS victims compared with matched controls. Even if there is not sufficient evidence to presume that developmental defects of brainstem auditory structures can affect breathing, our findings, showing that developmental deficit in the control respiratory areas are frequently accompanied by alterations of auditory structures, highlight an additional important element for the understanding the pathogenetic mechanism of SIDS.
authors.affiliation: "Lino Rossi" Research Center for the study and prevention of unexpected perinatal death and SIDS - Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Italy. Electronic address: anna.lavezzi@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lavezzi
authors.affiliation: "Lino Rossi" Research Center for the study and prevention of unexpected perinatal death and SIDS - Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Italy; Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ottaviani
authors.affiliation: "Lino Rossi" Research Center for the study and prevention of unexpected perinatal death and SIDS - Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Matturri
mesh_terms: D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology
keywords: Auditory brainstem system; Cochlear nuclei; Inferior colliculus; Respiratory brainstem system; SIDS; Superior olivary complex; Vestibular nuclei