Understanding cardiorespiratory control in children with Prader Willi Syndrome

Individuals with Prader Willi Syndrome (PWS) have impairments in ventilatory control and are predisposed toward sleep disordered breathing due to a combination of characteristic craniofacial features, obesity, hypotonia, and hypothalamic dysfunction. In order to understand the underlying causes of ventilatory control instabilities, we typically measure the sensitivity of the negative feedback loop controlling breathing (i.e. loop gain). Interestingly, we have recently completed studies showing increased ventilatory instability (which is often termed a system with a high loop gain) in children with a high number of central apnoeas. However, it is not known if children with PWS have similarly high loop gain or whether the recurrent central apnoeas seen in this condition are a manifestation of depressed ventilatory drive (low loop gain) and cardiovascular control (heart rate variability). Understanding this mechanism will allow tailored treatment of central sleep apnoea in children with PWS. Students will learn how to analyse sleep studies in children with PWS to determine loop gain. They will be involved in data analysis, statistical analysis and preparing the study for publication. Students will also be able to interact with postgraduate research students, attend weekly research meetings and be involved in an active paediatric research group.