A polysomnographic study of sleep disturbance in community elderly with self-reported environmental chemical odor intolerance

摘要: Subjective sleep complaints and food intolerances, especially to milk products, are frequent symptoms of individuals who also report intolerance for low-level odors various environmental chemicals. The purpose the present study was evaluate objective nature nocturnal patterns during different diets, using polysomnography in community older adults with self-reported illness from chemical odors. Those high odor (n = 15) exhibited significantly lower efficiency (p .005) rapid-eye-movement (REM) percent .04), a trend toward longer latency REM .07), than did those low 15), on dairy-containing as compared nondairy (soy) diets. arousal pattern intolerant group differed polysomnographic features major depression, classical organophosphate toxicity, subjective insomnia without findings. findings suggest that elderly moderate minimal exhibit objectively poorer do their normal peers. Individual differences underlying brain function may help generate these observations. data support need similar studies clinical populations intolerance, such multiple sensitivity patients perhaps certain veterans "Persian Gulf Syndrome."