CHICAGO (AFP) - People who suffer from fragmented sleep due to a condition called obstructive sleep apnea are at increased risk for subtle, creeping brain damage, according to a Japanese study published in the US.
In a small study involving 65 men, researchers at the Showa University School of Medicine in Tokyo found the men with moderate to severe obstructive apnea had significantly more lesions on brain scans than those who had mild or no sleep disorders.
The men with the greatest sleep disturbance also had significantly elevated markers for inflammation and blood clotting compared with the other men in the study.
The higher rates of inflammation and blood platelet activity, which correlated closely with oxygen deficiency, may explain why these men had more brain damage, the Japanese researchers said.
People who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea wake up repeatedly during the night because of a blocked airway, preventing them from reaching the deep, refreshing stages of slumber. Some sufferers endure 100 or more arousals a night.
Previous research has shown that people with the disorder are at higher risk for high blood pressure and stroke, but this study reveals the sub-clinical or "silent" cerebrovascular damage that may precede a major event such as a stroke.
However, the investigative team also showed that a treatment with a CPAP machine lowered the levels of inflammation and blood clotting.
Tests on 24 volunteers with moderate to severe apnea, who used a CPAP machine for three months, showed they had significantly lower levels of C-reactive protein, the marker for systemic inflammation, and two other platelet-activating proteins.
A CPAP machine supplies continuous airway pressure by means of an air compressor attached to a mask.
"CPAP may be an important intervention for decreasing the stroke risk in this susceptible population of obstructive sleep apnea patients," said Kenji Minoguchi, the lead author of the paper which appears in Thursday's issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Copyright © 2007 Agence France Presse.
In a small study involving 65 men, researchers at the Showa University School of Medicine in Tokyo found the men with moderate to severe obstructive apnea had significantly more lesions on brain scans than those who had mild or no sleep disorders.
The men with the greatest sleep disturbance also had significantly elevated markers for inflammation and blood clotting compared with the other men in the study.
The higher rates of inflammation and blood platelet activity, which correlated closely with oxygen deficiency, may explain why these men had more brain damage, the Japanese researchers said.
People who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea wake up repeatedly during the night because of a blocked airway, preventing them from reaching the deep, refreshing stages of slumber. Some sufferers endure 100 or more arousals a night.
Previous research has shown that people with the disorder are at higher risk for high blood pressure and stroke, but this study reveals the sub-clinical or "silent" cerebrovascular damage that may precede a major event such as a stroke.
However, the investigative team also showed that a treatment with a CPAP machine lowered the levels of inflammation and blood clotting.
Tests on 24 volunteers with moderate to severe apnea, who used a CPAP machine for three months, showed they had significantly lower levels of C-reactive protein, the marker for systemic inflammation, and two other platelet-activating proteins.
A CPAP machine supplies continuous airway pressure by means of an air compressor attached to a mask.
"CPAP may be an important intervention for decreasing the stroke risk in this susceptible population of obstructive sleep apnea patients," said Kenji Minoguchi, the lead author of the paper which appears in Thursday's issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Copyright © 2007 Agence France Presse.