Dangerous effects of snoring and sleep apnea named
Sleep apnea may be associated with certain indicators of poor brain health, according to a new study. The results are published in the journal Neurology.The new study links obstructive sleep apnea to certain patterns in brain wiring that have previously been linked to dangerous conditions such as increased risk of dementia and stroke.
In the new study, neurobiologists studied people with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and sleep studies to see if apnea and altered sleep were associated with two types of unusual patterns in the white matter of the brain.
Both severe sleep apnea and lack of time spent in the deep phase of sleep have been linked to these two biomarkers. Each has previously been linked to an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or general cognitive decline, as well as stroke.
The study included 140 people with OSAS, whose average age was about 73. All were tested for one of two biomarkers. The overall group was relatively evenly divided into people with mild, moderate and severe COAS, and most people had no cognitive impairment during the study.
Using polysomnography, that is, a variety of data collected during the sleep study, the researchers found that participants who spent less time in slow-wave sleep were more prone to both types of biomarkers in their MRIs. Separately, people with severe OAS were also found to be more prone to white matter abnormalities than people with mild or moderate OAS.
Delayed breathing movements are called apnea. The word is taken from the ancient Greek language and literally means "breathlessness." This condition can occur in a variety of situations - for example, after hyperventilation of the lungs or a sharp increase in blood pressure.
Snoring, or rhonchopathy, in turn, is a sleep breathing disorder caused by the vibration of the soft tissues of the nasopharynx and larynx, accompanied by a low-frequency rattling sound. The key pathophysiological process of snoring is a short-term respiratory arrest and ventilation disorder - just apnea.