Maternal sleep during pregnancy - Neurobiological, cognitive and behavioural effects of sleep disruption and deficit

Meyer, Melanie (2020) Maternal sleep during pregnancy - Neurobiological, cognitive and behavioural effects of sleep disruption and deficit. Bachelor's Thesis, Biology.

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Abstract

Physical and psychological complaints especially towards the end of pregnancy can lead to a disruptive night sleep and sleep deficits in pregnant women. Simultaneously, hormonal changes during pregnancy can affect sleep architecture. Estrogen decreases time spend in REM sleep while progesterone increases NREM sleep. Sleep deprivation increases the allostatic load and is considered both a result of stress and a stressor per se. During pregnancy, the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis (HPA axis) is hyporesponsive to stress and the maternal innate immune response is restrained. Pregnancy hormones in relation with the HPA axis and the maternal immune response cause cognitive changes in the maternal brain that have positive effects on maternal behaviour from an evolutionary perspective. Sleep deprivation increases HPA axis activity and inflammation, which takes away the buffer of the mitigates stress response. This could prevent evolutionary beneficial cognitive changes and even lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes such as Postpartum Depression. To improve sleep quality during pregnancy, cognitive behavioural therapy or pharmacotherapy can be considered. In conclusion, the interaction between pregnancy hormones, the HPA axis response and the immune system are the main mediators causing the negative neurobiological, cognitive and behavioural effects of maternal prenatal sleep deprivation.

Item Type:	Thesis (Bachelor's Thesis)
Supervisor name:	Olivier, J.D.A.
Degree programme:	Biology
Thesis type:	Bachelor's Thesis
Language:	English
Date Deposited:	22 Jul 2020 10:05
Last Modified:	22 Jul 2020 10:05
URI:	https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/22816

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