While Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is known to affect the physical health of an individual causing hypertension, diabetes, heart diseases and others, it can also affect the ability to form memories, finds a new study.
Chennai:
The recent study published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society (INS) highlights that earlier researches suggest a higher rate of depression among people with OSA. “Sleep apnoea is also a significant risk factor for depression, so if we can better understand the neurobiological mechanisms at work, we have a chance to improve the mental health of millions of people,” says lead researcher Dr Melinda Jackson.
The researchers examined 44 adults who were affected by OSA but not actively treating it and 44 healthy adults without OSA and their abilities to remember various kinds of memories from their childhoods, early adult lives, and recent events were monitored. The study revealed that 52 percent of the participants with OSA could not recall memories in much specific detail. The study compared semantic memory, which is information about someone’s personal history, and episodic memory which describes the ability to remember broader events or episodes. The study suggests that sleep apnoea may impair the brain’s capacity to either encode or consolidate certain types of life memories, which makes it hard for people to recall details from the past.
“An individual suffering with obstructive sleep apnoea will not have regular sleep cycle, necessary to consolidate autobiographical memories. When the sleep cycle is irregular, the everyday incidents cannot be consolidated in the brain and the memory-forming ability is restricted. The new sign-up formations in the brain will not be formed if sleep is interrupted and the person cannot encode the memories in the brain. There are several neuro-hormones are that are stimulated during sleep and there is internal synthesis of proteins that help to form memory. In case of OSA, this process is also interrupted,” said Dr Satish Kumar, consultant neurologist, Fortis Malar Hospital.
Earlier studies say that depression is related to loss of autobiographical memories with the development of persistent depression. Doctors say that the inability to form autobiographical memories causes depression. “Even though there are conflicting research findings about the association between depression.
OSA is associated with fragmentation of sleep, frequent arousal from sleep and has negative effects on attention, processing speed and memory which can be reversible at times when treated. If persistent and untreated can cause cognitive decline in the long run which might put these patients at risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or even dementia,” says Dr Vivian Kapil, psychiatrist, SIMS Hospitals.
The study held at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University in Melbourne, Australia, investigates the relationship between OSA and a person’s ability to memorize specific episodes and retain information about their personal lives, called as autobiographical memory. Medicos say that the burden of sleep disorders is high, and they lead to considerable clinical distress and loss of economic productivity. OSA affects more than 10 crore people globally causing interrupted sleep due to obstructed breathing briefly lowering oxygen levels.
The recent study published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society (INS) highlights that earlier researches suggest a higher rate of depression among people with OSA. “Sleep apnoea is also a significant risk factor for depression, so if we can better understand the neurobiological mechanisms at work, we have a chance to improve the mental health of millions of people,” says lead researcher Dr Melinda Jackson.
The researchers examined 44 adults who were affected by OSA but not actively treating it and 44 healthy adults without OSA and their abilities to remember various kinds of memories from their childhoods, early adult lives, and recent events were monitored. The study revealed that 52 percent of the participants with OSA could not recall memories in much specific detail. The study compared semantic memory, which is information about someone’s personal history, and episodic memory which describes the ability to remember broader events or episodes. The study suggests that sleep apnoea may impair the brain’s capacity to either encode or consolidate certain types of life memories, which makes it hard for people to recall details from the past.
“An individual suffering with obstructive sleep apnoea will not have regular sleep cycle, necessary to consolidate autobiographical memories. When the sleep cycle is irregular, the everyday incidents cannot be consolidated in the brain and the memory-forming ability is restricted. The new sign-up formations in the brain will not be formed if sleep is interrupted and the person cannot encode the memories in the brain. There are several neuro-hormones are that are stimulated during sleep and there is internal synthesis of proteins that help to form memory. In case of OSA, this process is also interrupted,” said Dr Satish Kumar, consultant neurologist, Fortis Malar Hospital.
Earlier studies say that depression is related to loss of autobiographical memories with the development of persistent depression. Doctors say that the inability to form autobiographical memories causes depression. “Even though there are conflicting research findings about the association between depression.
OSA is associated with fragmentation of sleep, frequent arousal from sleep and has negative effects on attention, processing speed and memory which can be reversible at times when treated. If persistent and untreated can cause cognitive decline in the long run which might put these patients at risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or even dementia,” says Dr Vivian Kapil, psychiatrist, SIMS Hospitals.
Signs and symptoms of the disorder include:
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Loud snoring
- Breathing cessation during sleep
- Abrupt awakenings accompanied by gasping or choking
- Awakening with a dry mouth
- Morning headache
- Depression or irritability
- High blood pressure
- Night time sweating