Mapping gray matter reductions in obstructive sleep apnea: an activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis.
OBJECTIVE
The authors reviewed the literature on the use of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies via the use of a meta-analysis of neuroimaging to identify consistent and specific structural deficits in patients with sleep apnea compared with healthy subjects.


METHODS
Neuroimaging meta-analysis.


METHODS
We used PubMed to retrieve articles published between January 2000 and February 2012.


METHODS
The authors included all VBM research on patients with OSA and healthy controls. They compared the findings of the studies by using gray matter volume (GMV) or gray matter concentration (GMC) to index differences in gray matter.


METHODS
Stereotactic data were extracted from eight VBM studies of 213 patients with OSA and 195 control subjects.


RESULTS
Regional gray matter reduction in the bilateral parahippocampus and less-convincing right superior frontal and left middle temporal gyri was demonstrated in patients with sleep apnea using an activation likelihood estimation (ALE) procedure to analyze significant differences.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant reductions in gray matter in patients with sleep apnea occurred in the bilateral parahippocampus and less-convincing frontotemporal regions, which may be related to the neurocognitive processing abnormalities that are common among populations of patients with sleep apnea.
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taiwan ; Department of Respiratory Care, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Chiayi, Taiwan ; Department of Psychology, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan.
Hsu-Huei
HH
Weng
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taiwan.
Yuan-Hsiung
YH
Tsai
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taiwan.
Chih-Feng
CF
Chen
Department of Respiratory Care, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Chiayi, Taiwan ; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and Department of Respiratory Care, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwa ; Department of Respiratory Care, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Yu-Ching
YC
Lin
Departments of Thoracic Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan ; Department of Respiratory Care, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Cheng-Ta
CT
Yang
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and Department of Respiratory Care, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwa ; Department of Respiratory Therapy, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Ying-Huang
YH
Tsai
Faculty of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chun-Yuh
CY
Yang
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036421:Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D059906:Neuroimaging; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000473:pathology*
Meta-analysis; obstructive sleep apnea; voxel-based morphometry