title: Cognitive dysfunction and obstructive sleep apnea:  from cradle to tomb.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand clinical characteristics and risk factors for cognitive impairment in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndromes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Primary snoring increases the risk of neurocognitive impairment and lower intelligence quotients in infants and children. Middle-aged adults with severe OSA are at greater risk for cognitive impairment than young adults with apnea of equal severity. Older women with OSA are at increased risk for minimal cognitive impairment or dementia, 5 years later.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Certain age groups (younger and older) are particularly susceptible to the negative effects of OSA on cognition. Other influences that increase the risk for cognitive dysfunction in OSA include premature birth, apolipoprotein e4 allele status and other genetic polymorphisms, lower socioeconomic status, fewer years of education, and ethnicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, One University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA. mgriggd@salud.unm.edu
authors.forename: Madeleine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grigg-Damberger
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ralls
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000150:complications*; D012913:Snoring / Q000150:complications