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Co-analysis of Brain Structure and Function using fMRI and Diffusion-weighted Imaging
Published on: November 8, 2012
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Effects of 3-month CPAP therapy on brain structure in obstructive sleep apnea: A diffusion tensor imaging study
Xiang Liu1, Zhipeng Wei2, Liting Chen3
1Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
Frontiers in Neurology
|September 8, 2022
Summary
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) causes white matter (WM) fiber damage linked to cognitive issues. Short-term continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment did not reverse these WM changes in patients with OSA.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Sleep Medicine
- Neurology
Background:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is linked to cognitive impairment.
- White matter (WM) fiber alterations are observed in OSA patients.
- Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may alleviate cognitive deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate WM changes in OSA patients before and after CPAP treatment.
- Understand the reversibility of WM alterations after CPAP therapy.
- Correlate WM changes with clinical and cognitive evaluations.
Main Methods:
- Used Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and tract-based spatial statistics.
- Evaluated fractional anisotropy (FA) and diffusion coefficients (MD, AD, RD).
- Compared 20 OSA patients (pre- and post-CPAP) with 20 good sleepers.
Main Results:
- OSA patients showed decreased FA and increased RD in several WM tracts compared to controls.
- WM alterations correlated with oxygen saturation, cognitive scores, and apnea-hypopnea index.
- No significant WM changes were observed after 3 months of CPAP treatment.
Conclusions:
- Severe OSA is associated with widespread WM fiber alterations and cognitive impairment.
- Short-term CPAP therapy did not lead to reversible changes in WM microstructure.
- Further research is needed to understand long-term effects of CPAP on WM in OSA.
