Cognitive recovery following positive airway pressure (PAP) in sleep apnea

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is a common sleep disorder that is characterized by repeated episodes of complete or partial cessation of breathing while sleeping. These recurrent breathing events result in fragmented sleep and recurrent hypoxemia. Distressing daytime sequelae reported by OSAHS patients include excessive daytime sleepiness, self-reported changes in mood, and cognitive problems. It has been well established that OSAHS can negatively impact functioning in multiple cognitive domains, such as attention and memory. In this chapter, neurobehavioral deficits in OSAHS are discussed, and proposed models of cognitive dysfunction are summarized. Current studies examining cognitive recovery with positive airway pressure treatment are presented. It appears that the cognitive dysfunction of OSAHS is not likely to be due to a single mediating mechanism, nor is it pervasive across all patients. Future research should attempt to identify these moderators for cognitive dysfunction in OSAHS and to highlight the mechanisms of dysfunction by cognitive domain.