Partial arousal deficiency in SIDS victims and noradrenergic neuronal plasticity.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) victims had exhibited during sleep a reduction in cortical arousals despite an increase in subcortical activation. Arousal deficiency in SIDS victims was partial. We could suggest the latent existence of inadequate noradrenergic neuronal plasticity as the background of this partial arousal deficiency of SIDS victims.