Abstract
Thirty normal children (aged 3–68 months) and 16 autistic children (aged 36–62 months) were recorded during nonmedicated sleep and data pertaining to rapid eye movements (REM) were measured during the first three REM periods of the night. When time of night from which data were gathered was held constant, normal children showed a significant relationship between age and the organization of eye movements into discrete bursts. When autistic children were compared to age-matched normal controls, they showed an immaturity in this phenomena, their results being similar to those found in children less than 18 months of age. Such an immaturity could result from dysfunction at a number of diverse levels and sites in the central nervous system.
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Supported by the Grant Foundation, by U.S. Public Health Service Research Scientist Development Award MH47361 to Dr. Tanguay, and by U.S. Public Health Service Grants MH26047, MH13517, HD04612 and HD05958. Computing assistance was obtained from the Health Sciences Computing Facility, UCLA, sponsored by National Institute of Health Grant RR-3.
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Tanguay, P.E., Ornitz, E.M., Forsythe, A.B. et al. Rapid eye movement (REM) activity in normal and autistic children during REM sleep. J Autism Dev Disord 6, 275–288 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01543468
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01543468