TY - JOUR
T1 - Cognitive dysfunction in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
T2 - Partial reversibility after continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
AU - Ferini-Strambi, L.
AU - Baietto, C.
AU - Di Gioia, M. R.
AU - Castaldi, P.
AU - Castronovo, C.
AU - Zucconi, M.
AU - Cappa, S. F.
PY - 2003/6/30
Y1 - 2003/6/30
N2 - The aims of this study were to assess cognitive function in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients and to evaluate the effect of short- and long-term treatment with continuous positive airway pressure treatment (CPAP). A battery of neuropsychological tests, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and the Beck Inventory Scale were administered to 23 patients with severe OSA (age: 56.5±6.13; AHI: 54.9±13.37) and to 23 age- and education-matched controls. The OSA patients were evaluated in a baseline condition and in two follow-up treatment sessions (after 15 days and 4 months of CPAP, respectively). At baseline, OSA patients had a significant impairment, compared to controls, in tests of sustained attention, visuospatial learning, executive function, motor performance, and constructional abilities. The longitudinal evaluation showed that after a 15-days CPAP treatment attentive, visuospatial learning, and motor performances returned to normal levels. A 4-months CPAP treatment did not result in any further improvement in cognitive tests. Performance on tests evaluating executive functions and constructional abilities was not affected by short- and long-term treatment with CPAP. The findings of this study confirm the hypothesis of partial reversibility of cognitive dysfunction in OSA patients after CPAP.
AB - The aims of this study were to assess cognitive function in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients and to evaluate the effect of short- and long-term treatment with continuous positive airway pressure treatment (CPAP). A battery of neuropsychological tests, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and the Beck Inventory Scale were administered to 23 patients with severe OSA (age: 56.5±6.13; AHI: 54.9±13.37) and to 23 age- and education-matched controls. The OSA patients were evaluated in a baseline condition and in two follow-up treatment sessions (after 15 days and 4 months of CPAP, respectively). At baseline, OSA patients had a significant impairment, compared to controls, in tests of sustained attention, visuospatial learning, executive function, motor performance, and constructional abilities. The longitudinal evaluation showed that after a 15-days CPAP treatment attentive, visuospatial learning, and motor performances returned to normal levels. A 4-months CPAP treatment did not result in any further improvement in cognitive tests. Performance on tests evaluating executive functions and constructional abilities was not affected by short- and long-term treatment with CPAP. The findings of this study confirm the hypothesis of partial reversibility of cognitive dysfunction in OSA patients after CPAP.
KW - Cognitive function
KW - Sleep apnea
KW - Sleepiness
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0038210192&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0038210192&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0361-9230(03)00068-6
DO - 10.1016/S0361-9230(03)00068-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 12788211
AN - SCOPUS:0038210192
VL - 61
SP - 87
EP - 92
JO - Brain Research Bulletin
JF - Brain Research Bulletin
SN - 0361-9230
IS - 1
ER -