title: Obstructive sleep apnea, verbal memory, and executive function in a community-based high-risk population identified by the Berlin Questionnaire Akershus Sleep Apnea Project.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cognitive functions in community-dwelling adults at high risk of obstructive sleep apnea have not been described and nor are associations between cognitive functions and obstructive sleep apnea severity fully understood. The study aimed to describe verbal memory and executive function in community-dwelling adults identified by the Berlin Questionnaire and to investigate associations between these cognitive domains and different obstructive sleep apnea severity indicators.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among 29,258 age- and gender-stratified persons 30-65 years who received the Berlin Questionnaire by mail, 16,302 (55.7%) responded. From 654 randomly drawn respondents with BQ high risk who were approached for study participation, 290 participants (55.9% males, mean age 48.2 years) were included. Verbal memory was assessed by Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and executive function by Stroop test. Obstructive sleep apnea severity indicators were assessed by polysomnography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean (standard deviation) verbal learning score was 42.0 (8.9), mean interference time was 31.1 (12.7), median (25th percentile, 75th percentile) apnea-hypopnea index was 7.7 (2.4-22.2), and mean average oxygen saturation was 94.3 (2.0). Verbal learning score was independently associated with average oxygen saturation (β = 0.721, p = 0.025) in multivariate linear regression models adjusted for putative confounders. Interference time was only related to OSA severity indicators in bivariate analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Verbal memory and executive function impairments were mild in community-dwelling adults at high risk of obstructive sleep apnea. Average oxygen saturation was the indicator of obstructive sleep apnea severity most strongly associated with cognitive function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science, Research Centre, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway. Harald.hrubos-strom@medisin.uio.no
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hrubos-Strøm
authors.forename: Inger H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Nordhus
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Einvik
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Randby
authors.forename: Torbjørn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Omland
authors.forename: Kjetil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sundet
authors.forename: Torbjørn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moum
authors.forename: Toril
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dammen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009664:Norway; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D017286:Polysomnography; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D057190:Stroop Test / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014706:Verbal Learning
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen