Electrophysiological Assessment of the Effects of Obstructive Sleep Apnea on Cognition

Abstract

We used electrophysiological measures to investigate the effects of obstructive sleep apnea on attention, learning, and memory. Thirty subjects (OSA group, n = 15, control group n = 15) participated in n-back tests, accompanied by P300 recordings, to investigate working memory and attention. The mirror-drawing test was used to study procedural memory, and the trail-making test (TMT) was used to evaluate divided attention and executive function. No significant group difference in reaction time was found in the 0-back and 1-back tests. In the 2-back test, reaction times of patients were longer than those of the control group. No P300 wave was obtained in the OSA group in any (0-, 1-, or 2-back) n-back test. In contrast, in the control group, significant P300 waves were recorded except for the 2-back test. The mirror-drawing scores were unaffected by sleep apnea. There was no difference between groups in the TMT-A test on any of the trials. Although no group difference was found in the first or second trials of the TMT-B test, OSA patients were less successful in learning on the third trial. According to our study results, OSA affects attention and executive function adversely however, we could not detect a significant effect on working or procedural memory.

Estimating the Prevalence of Sleep-Disordered Breathing Among Collegiate Football Players

“…Thus, the estimated prevalence of an AHI between 5 and 15 events/h among those at high risk for daytime sleepiness was 15.7% (95% CI 1.0 -33.1%). However, we found no significant difference between risk categories in the number of players who reported an ESS score Ͼ10 (high risk: 8 Body composition parameters in the players who exhibited SDB were compared with those of players without SDB. Whereas players with SDB tended to have higher total fat mass (SDB: 31.8 Ϯ 9.5 kg vs 21.2 Ϯ 11.2 kg, P ϭ .12), trunk fat mass (SDB: 15.1 Ϯ 5.0 kg vs non-SDB: 10.1 Ϯ 6.2 kg, P ϭ .14), abdominal visceral fat mass (SDB: 0.73 Ϯ 0.43 kg vs non-SDB: 0.31 Ϯ 0.33 kg, P ϭ .24), and total body fat (SDB: 26.7 Ϯ 4.9% vs non-SDB: 20.3 Ϯ 7.5%, P ϭ .07), the data were not statistically significant.…”

“…Perhaps of more immediate concern is the adverse impact sleep apnea has on attention and cognitive function. 8 The potential implication is that players with SBD may experience detriments in academic as well as athletic performance. 19 Second, emerging data suggest that proper sleep may play an important role in recovery from and possibly prevention of concussions.…”

“…This represents an approximately 5-fold higher prevalence compared with young community-based volunteers, 7 yet thousands of young men of similar size play football at the collegiate level and are likely to go undiagnosed. Since alertness, reaction time, and concentration are linked to proper sleep, 8 those with SDB may experience detriments in athletic as well as academic performance. Importantly, given the strong association between SDB and the development of hypertension, 2 these athletes may suffer from greater cardiovascular disease burden.…”

Glucose regulation and cognitive function after bariatric surgery

“…For example, obesity is associated with a number of medical conditions known that are associated with cognitive impairment such as sleep apnea (Gelir et al, 2014), and cardiac disease (Singer, Trollor, Baune, Sachdev, & Smith, 2014). These conditions often improve following bariatric surgery and may play an important role in the relationship between obesity and cognitive function.…”

Adolescent weight history and adult cognition: before and after bariatric surgery

“…While mechanisms are not fully understood, medical conditions common in obesity, including sleep apnea (5) , hypertension (6) , and type 2 diabetes (7) (T2DM) are all linked to reduced cognition. Cognitive deficits are reversible with bariatric surgery (4) ; however, cognitive recovery is not equally exhibited across patients (8) .…”