Cognitive deficits in obstructive sleep apnea: insights from a meta-review and comparison with deficits observed in COPD, insomnia, and sleep deprivation

Dr Michelle Olaithe (Strachan Memorial Prize)

Publication Prize

$5,000.00

2021

The University of Western Australia

Dr Michelle Olaithe from The University of Western Australia was awarded a Strachan Publication Prize in 2021 for her publication entitled “Cognitive deficits in obstructive sleep apnea: insights from a meta-review and comparison with deficits observed in COPD, insomnia, and sleep deprivation” published in Sleep Medicine reviews in 2018. This published research showed that the cognitive deficits associated with untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are multidimensional, with different physiological disturbances responsible for differing cognitive problems.

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is a common and costly nocturnal breathing disorder that occurs in 9% of middle-aged women and 27% of middle-aged men, at a cost of $AUD45B per annum. OSA impact on immune function, mental health, work and education performance. Furthermore, OSA increases the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in later life, making this sleep disorder a potentially modifiable risk factor for cognitive problems now and in the future.

The findings of  Dr Olaithe’s paper suggest that short-term sleep deprivation and blood-gas abnormalities are probably responsible for different types of cognitive difficulties in OSA. Short-term sleep disruption (as seen in sleep deprivation) was associated with difficulties with attention and memory, whilst low blood oxygen (as in COPD) was associated with poorer executive function, slower thinking, and language difficulties. Further, visuospatial difficulties were present in OSA, but not found in the other disorders, so was of unknown cause. This suggests that the current treatments for OSA, which primarily address blood-gas abnormalities are appropriate, however interventions that are directed at deepening sleep, such as auditory stimulation need further investigation.

This paper was pitched to tackle two global epidemics: sleep disorders and cognitive-decline, providing new insights into their causal relationships. Elucidating these relationships will guide future interventions to improve sleep health.

The Prize funding was used for travel to attend a conference in Queensland where Dr Olaithe was an invited speaker and also presented a poster. This poster was awarded “best poster” for the Obstructive Sleep Apnea division. Furthermore, the award of this publication prize has enabled a collaboration on actigraphy assessment to validate a sleep intervention for university students with colleague Dr Cele Richardson.