Key result
A case of sudden infant death syndrome triggered by the dive reflex revealed severe bilateral hypoplasia of the arcuate nucleus and early coronary atherosclerotic lesions.
Case Report (n=1)
This case report highlights the potential role of the dive reflex, combined with underlying brainstem abnormalities and early coronary atherosclerosis, in the pathogenesis of SIDS.
Does not alter SIDS evaluation or prevention; hypothesis-generating for dive reflex with brainstem and coronary anomalies.
The dive reflex is the reflex mechanism most frequently considered in the aetiopathogenesis of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). This seems to persist in human beings as an inheritance from diver birds and amphibians. It has been reported that washing the face with cold water or plunging into cold water can provoke cardiac deceleration through the intervention of the ambiguus and the vagal dorsal nuclei. This report describes a case of SIDS that offers a unique insight into the role of the dive reflex in determining a lethal outcome. Examination of the brainstem on serial sections revealed severe bilateral hypoplasia of the arcuate nucleus and gliosis of the other cardiorespiratory medullary nuclei. The coronary and cardiac conduction arteries presented early atherosclerotic lesions. The possible role of parental cigarette smoking in the pathogenesis of arcuate nucleus hypoplasia and early coronary atherosclerotic lesions is also discussed.
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Matturri et al. (2004) conducted a case report in Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (n=1). Dive reflex was evaluated on Lethal outcome (SIDS) and brainstem/cardiac abnormalities. A case of sudden infant death syndrome triggered by the dive reflex revealed severe bilateral hypoplasia of the arcuate nucleus and early coronary atherosclerotic lesions.
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