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Information processing speed in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a review
Author(s) -
Kilpinen R.,
Saunamäki T.,
Jehkonen M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/ane.12211
Subject(s) - medicine , obstructive sleep apnea , cognition , psycinfo , information processing , continuous positive airway pressure , psychomotor learning , medline , physical medicine and rehabilitation , physical therapy , pediatrics , psychiatry , psychology , anesthesia , cognitive psychology , political science , law
To provide a comprehensive review of studies on information processing speed in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome ( OSAS ) as compared to healthy controls and normative data, and to determine whether continuous positive airway pressure ( CPAP ) treatment improves information processing speed. A systematic review was performed on studies drawn from M edline and P syc INFO ( J anuary 1990– D ecember 2011) and identified from lists of references in these studies. After inclusion criteria, 159 articles were left for abstract review, and after exclusion criteria 44 articles were fully reviewed. The number of patients in the studies reviewed ranged from 10 to 157 and the study samples consisted mainly of men. Half of the studies reported that patients with OSAS showed reduced information processing speed when compared to healthy controls. Reduced information processing speed was seen more often (75%) when compared to norm‐referenced data. Psychomotor speed seemed to be particularly liable to change. CPAP treatment improved processing speed, but the improvement was marginal when compared to placebo or conservative treatment. Patients with OSAS are affected by reduced information processing speed, which may persist despite CPAP treatment. Information processing is usually assessed as part of other cognitive functioning, not as a cognitive domain per se . However, it is important to take account of information processing speed when assessing other aspects of cognitive functioning. This will make it possible to determine whether cognitive decline in patients with OSAS is based on lower‐level or higher‐level cognitive processes or both.