Does age worsen EEG slowing and attention deficits in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome?
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine whether EEG slowing is more pronounced in older than younger OSAS patients and to verify whether this cortical slowing is correlated to daytime performance, respiratory perturbation and sleep fragmentation.


METHODS
Twelve young OSAS patients (mean age 38.2+/-2.0 y) and 13 older OSAS patients (mean age 62.2+/-1.9 y) along with 13 young controls (mean age 35.8+/-2.0 y) and 14 older controls (mean age 60.2+/-2.0 y) underwent a polysomnographic evaluation followed by a waking EEG recording. As a global index of cortical slowing, a ratio of slow-to-fast frequencies was calculated in all cortical regions. Daytime performance was assessed using the four choice reaction time test.


RESULTS
Differences in waking EEG and in daytime performance were analyzed by ANOVAs with Group and Age as factors. Waking EEG did not yield a Group by Age interaction. OSAS patients had higher ratios across all regions than controls. Similarly, daytime performance revealed no Group by Age interaction. However, OSAS patients showed more lapses than controls and older subjects were slower than younger subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that age does not interact with OSAS to worsen the severity of cortical slowing, but age can add to the OSAS effect to worsen daytime performance deficits in OSAS patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The daytime performance deficits observed particularly in elderly OSAS patients warrant a careful clinical assessment of these patients to prevent accidents and injuries.
Mathieu
Annie
A
Centre d'Etude du Sommeil et des Rythmes Biologiques, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, 5400 Boul. Gouin Ouest, Montréal, QUE, Canada.
Mazza
Stéphanie
S
Petit
Dominique
D
Décary
Anne
A
Massicotte-Marquez
Jessica
J
Malo
Jacques
J
Montplaisir
Jacques
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*