Gray matter alterations in sleep disorders lead to brain networks changes: A systematic review of cortical and subcortical points

Background Disorders are a common issue among children of various ages, often linked to alterations in the thickness and volume of the cortex in adults. However, the effects on cortical thickness and gray matter volume can differ in children. This systematic review aims to explore the changes in gray matter and the cortex in children experiencing sleep disorders. Methods This systematic review was conducted based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria, and the principle of non-bias was respected. All the articles from 2020-2022 were extracted from the Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus databases. This study extracted sleep disorders, cortical and gray matter alterations, and alterations anatomy from children up to 18 years old. Results Eleven studies were identified with inclusion criteria that addressed breathing disorders, obstructive sleep apnea, and periodic sleep disorders. The mean age of the children involved was 3.22 ± 8.89 years, with a T-chart illustrating a predominance of boys over girls. An association was observed between rapid eye movement sleep behavioral disorder and rapid eye movement sleep behavioral disorder. Notably, the thickness of the cerebral cortex in the right anterior caudate cingulate and right cuneiform regions was significantly elevated following obstructive sleep-disordered breathing. The gray matter volume exhibited both increases in certain areas and decreases in others, a phenomenon that applies to all sleep disorders. Conclusion Sleep disorders change the thickness of the cerebral cortex and the volume of gray matter. Despite the difference in the articles' results, this study found a point change pattern in the brain anatomy, justifying the difference in the results of the previous systematic reviews.