Cognitive and Brain Gray Matter Changes in Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Voxel-Based Morphological Study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pediatric Medicine
• Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is increasingly recognized as a condition affecting children's health.
• Understanding the neural underpinnings of OSA in pediatric populations is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neural differences between children with OSA and healthy controls.
• To examine the relationship between these neural differences and the clinical severity of OSA in children.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 27 children with OSA and 30 healthy controls, matched for age, gender, and handedness.
• Utilized 3.0 T MRI for brain imaging, including volumetric segmentation and voxel-based morphometry.
• Conducted cognitive testing and Pearson's correlation analysis between gray matter volume (GMV) and obstructive apnea index (OAI).

Main Results:

• Children with OSA exhibited significantly lower full-scale and verbal intelligence quotient scores compared to controls.
• Significant reductions in GMV were observed in multiple brain regions in the OSA group versus controls.
• A negative correlation was found between the volume of the right inferior frontal gyrus and OAI in children with OSA.

Conclusions:

• Children with OSA demonstrate altered neural activity and impaired cognitive functions.
• Findings suggest a significant association between OSA and decreased GMV in pediatric brains.
• The study highlights potential neurodevelopmental impacts of OSA in children.