Executive dysfunction in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome
Tiia Saunamäki1, Sari-Leena Himanen, Olli Polo
1Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland. tiia.saunamaki@uta.fi
European Neurology
|August 13, 2009
Summary
Patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) show deficits in executive functions like set-shifting and analysis/synthesis compared to controls. While most OSAS patients performed normally, some exhibited mild to severe executive dysfunction.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Medicine
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a prevalent condition affecting sleep quality and potentially cognitive function.
- Executive dysfunction is a concern in OSAS, but its specific domains and severity require further clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate executive dysfunction in newly diagnosed OSAS patients.
- To identify specific executive function domains impacted by OSAS.
- To determine the severity of executive dysfunction in the OSAS population.
Main Methods:
- Utilized polysomnography to diagnose OSAS and comprehensive neuropsychological assessments for executive functions.
- Compared 40 newly diagnosed OSAS patients with 20 healthy male controls, matched for age, education, and IQ.
- Analyzed cognitive performance using norm-referenced data to assess dysfunction severity.
Main Results:
- OSAS patients demonstrated significantly poorer performance in set-shifting, visuospatial construction, and processing speed compared to controls.
- While most OSAS patients performed within normal limits, a subset showed mild (2.5-12.5%) or moderate to severe (5-15%) executive dysfunction.
- No significant differences in age, education, or IQ were observed between OSAS patients and controls.
Conclusions:
- OSAS patients exhibit impaired set-shifting and analysis/synthesis abilities compared to healthy individuals.
- Although the majority of OSAS patients in this study had normal cognitive performance, a notable proportion experienced deficits.
- These findings highlight the need for neuropsychological evaluation in OSAS management to identify and address potential executive dysfunction.
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