| ■ Night Terrors Have Hereditary Component: Study | 2008.12.08 |
| Night Terrors Have Hereditary Component: Study Genetics play a major role in night terrors, according to a Canadian study that included 390 pairs of identical and fraternal twins assessed for the condition at 18 months and 30 months of age. Among identical twins, there was a 68 percent chance that both twins would have the condition. Among fraternal twins, that likelihood was 24 percent. The researchers concluded that more than 40 percent of night terrors can likely be attributed to genetics, the Canadian Press reported. The findings were published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. "The study brings strong evidence that genetics plays a major role," said principal researcher Dr. Jacques Montplaisir, a professor of neuroscience and psychiatry at the University of Montreal, the CP reported. Children with night terrors experience sudden episodes of extreme fear and screaming an hour or two after they go to sleep. Most children outgrow the condition, said Montplaisir, who noted that environmental factors also play a role in children's risk of night terrors. |