Cognitive deficits cause difficulty thinking, remembering and concentrating, which often interferes with work, home, school or social activities. They may also experience emotional changes like being moody or sad more frequently or easily than other people.
These symptoms of cognitive deficits may interfere with daily living activities like driving, paying bills, following directions and completing household chores; they also impact self-esteem and socialization while increasing the risk of injury, accidents or falls.
Although the connection between obstructive sleep apnea and cognitive deficits remains unclear, researchers believe that interruptions to oxygen supply caused by OSA affect the brain’s ability to process information, leading to difficulties with memory, attention, and executive function in older adults who suffer from OSA.
Studies suggest this could be because sleep apnea’s frequent awakenings disrupt the normal pattern of brain activity during restorative stages of sleep and this disruption could lead to long-term cognitive impairment, according to new research published in Sleep journal. Researchers examined 27 men aged 35-70 with newly diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea alongside seven similar-aged and bodyweight men without this condition before administering several cognitive ability tests to each group; results demonstrated significantly greater impairment among those living with OSA when tested against their counterparts without this condition than had any similar-aged counterparts without it.
Other research has discovered that people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea tend to spend more time in stage 2 of the sleep cycle than stage 3, leading to amyloid plaque buildup which can eventually result in neuronal death and eventually cognitive impairment or dementia. These new findings add further proof that cognitive decline and sleep apnea may be connected; further investigation must be undertaken in order to understand their correlation and devise effective treatment solutions.
Cognitive deficits result from neurological damage to brain tissue. Cognitive impairment may appear from birth (in genetic syndromes such as Down Syndrome) or later on due to trauma, aging, disease/conditions such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases or drug side effects such as depression or vitamin B12 deficiency. Cognitive impairment can sometimes be reversed through treating its source such as seizures, stroke or tumor removal while other conditions can lead to permanent decline such as dementia, Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia.
Good news is that cognitive deficits related to breathing disorders can be treated effectively through treatment options like continuous positive airway pressure machines (CPAP machines). Behavioral therapy may also prove effective. Anticholinergic agents like benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants and clonidine may further decrease cognitive function; researchers advise individuals with cognitive impairments try being physically active, eating healthily and maintaining normal blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels for best results.
You can consult The Air Station or your sleep doctor for more details on cognitive deficits, CPAP treatment and alternative treatment.
