Functional connectome mediates the association between sleep disturbance and mental health in preadolescence

Background Sleep disturbance is known to be associated with various mental disorders and typically precedes the onset of mental disorders in youth. Given the increasingly acknowledged bi-directional influence between sleep disturbance and mental disorders, we addressed the possibility of a shared neural mechanism that underlies sleep disturbance and mental disorders in preadolescents. Methods We analyzed a dataset of 9350 9-10 year-old children, among whom 8845 had one-year follow-up data, from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. Linear mixed-effects models, mediation analysis, and longitudinal mediation analysis were used. Results Out of 338 unique connectivities, the effect of total sleep disturbance (TSP, from Sleep Disturbance Scale) and total problems (TP, from Child Behavior Checklist) converged in the default mode network (DMN) and its anti-correlated dorsal attention network (DAN). Within- and between-network connectivities (DMN-DAN, DMN-DMN, DAN-DAN) mediated the relationship between baseline TSD and TP at one-year follow-up and the relationship between baseline TP and TSD at one-year follow-up. Moreover, the identified network connectivities (DMN-DAN, DAN-DAN) also correlated with the total cognitive composite score from the NIH toolbox. Conclusions The pathway model in which sleep disturbance and mental problems affect each other through two anticorrelated brain networks (DMN and DAN) suggests a common neural mechanism between sleep disturbance and mental disorders. A less segregated DMN and DAN is also associated with negative outcomes on mental well-being, sleep disturbance, and cognition. These findings have important implications for the design of prevention and neurofeedback intervention for mental disorders and sleep problems. Highlights The impact of sleep disturbance and mental disorders on functional connectivity converged in default mode and dorsal attention networks. The relationship between sleep disturbance and mental disorders was mediated via a shared brain network mechanism Sleep disturbance and mental disorders at baseline can each predict the other one year later through the identified network connectivities A less segregated default mode and dorsal attention networks was correlated with poorer cognitive performance.