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Published on: December 6, 2016
Altered brain activation during response inhibition in obstructive sleep apnea
Liat Ayalon1, Sonia Ancoli-Israel, Sean Pa Drummond
1Department of Psychiatry, University of California, 3350 La Jolla Village Dr., San Diego, CA 92161, USA. layalon@ucsd.edu
Journal of Sleep Research
|March 24, 2009
Summary
Individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) exhibit impaired response inhibition and reduced brain activity in key cognitive areas during a Go-NoGo task. These findings suggest compromised brain function contributes to cognitive deficits in OSA patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is linked to cognitive impairments.
- Response inhibition is crucial for executive function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate response inhibition and associated neural mechanisms in OSA patients using a Go-NoGo task.
- To compare brain activation patterns between OSA patients and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed.
- Participants completed a Go-NoGo task assessing response inhibition.
- 14 OSA patients and 14 healthy controls were recruited.
Main Results:
- OSA patients exhibited significantly more false positives (errors of commission) on NoGo trials compared to controls.
- Reduced brain activation was observed in the left postcentral gyrus, cingulate gyrus, inferior parietal lobe, right insula, and putamen in the OSA group.
- These neural differences correlated with impaired performance.
Conclusions:
- Compromised brain function in response to cognitive challenges, particularly in areas supporting executive control, may underlie cognitive deficits in OSA.
- Findings align with previous research on working memory deficits in OSA.
- Response inhibition deficits and associated neural alterations are key features of OSA-related cognitive dysfunction.
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