Structural and functional neural adaptations in obstructive sleep apnea: An activation likelihood estimation...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging
• Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent chronic disorder affecting multiple body systems.
• Neuroimaging studies in OSA patients show varied results, necessitating a consolidated analysis.
• Identifying consistent brain alterations is crucial for understanding OSA's pathophysiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a quantitative meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies in OSA.
• To identify consistent patterns of abnormal brain activation and grey matter loss in OSA.
• To elucidate the functional role of affected brain regions in OSA.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search on PubMed for functional MRI and voxel-based morphometry studies in OSA.
• Quantitative meta-analysis using activation likelihood estimation (ALE) on stereotactic data from 15 studies.
• Functional characterization of identified brain regions using the BrainMap database.

Main Results:

• Convergent evidence for structural atrophy and functional disturbances in the right basolateral amygdala/hippocampus and right central insula.
• BrainMap analysis suggests these regions are involved in emotional, sensory, and limbic processing deficits in OSA.
• Co-activation analysis indicates these regions are part of a network including the anterior insula, posterior-medial frontal cortex, and thalamus.

Conclusions:

• The right amygdala, hippocampus, and insula play a significant role in the abnormal emotional and sensory processing observed in OSA.
• These findings provide a consolidated neurobiological basis for cognitive and affective symptoms in OSA.
• This meta-analysis highlights key brain regions for future research and potential therapeutic targets in obstructive sleep apnea.