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Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome is associated with cognitive and mood changes that include fatigue, sleepiness, memory difficulties, impaired executive function, irritability, and mood lability. In addition, autonomic disturbances include cardiovascular and ventilation changes. These authors evaluated whether these signs and symptoms are accompanied by structural brain changes. They used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a relatively new technique that allows calculation of fractional anisotropy (FA). FA reflects the number, coherence, and degree of myelination of nerve fibers. Study participants were 41 patients with moderate-to-severe OSA and 69 controls without sleep apnea.
Compared with controls, OSA patients had lower FA values in …