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Changes in dreaming induced by CPAP in severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients
Author(s) -
CARRASCO EVA,
SANTAMARIA JOAN,
IRANZO ALEX,
PINTOR LUIS,
PABLO JOAN DE,
SOLANAS ANTONIO,
KUMRU HATICE,
MARTÍNEZRODRÍGUEZ JOSÉ ENRIQUE,
BOGET TERESA
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of sleep research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.297
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2869
pISSN - 0962-1105
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2006.00553.x
Subject(s) - dream , continuous positive airway pressure , obstructive sleep apnea , medicine , anesthesia , recall , sleep (system call) , psychology , nightmare , apnea , audiology , psychiatry , neuroscience , computer science , cognitive psychology , operating system
Summary To study dream content in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and its modification with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy. We assessed twenty consecutive patients with severe OSAS and 17 healthy controls. Polysomnograms were recorded at baseline in patients and controls and during the CPAP titration night, 3 months after effective treatment and 2 years later in patients. Subjects were awakened 5–10 min after the beginning of the first and last rapid eye movement (REM) sleep periods and we measured percentage of dream recall, emotional content of the dream, word count, thematic units, sleep architecture and REM density. Dream recall in REM sleep was similar in patients at baseline and controls (51.5% versus 44.4% respectively; P = .421), decreased to 20% and 24.3% the first and third month CPAP nights, and increased to 39% 2 years later ( P = 0.004). Violent/highly anxious dreams were only seen in patients at baseline. Word count was higher in patients than in controls. REM density was highest the first CPAP night. Severe OSAS patients recall dreams in REM sleep as often as controls, but their dreams have an increased emotional tone and are longer. Despite an increase in REM density, dream recall decreased the first months of CPAP and recovered 2 years later. Violent/highly anxious dreams disappeared with treatment. A dream recall decrease with CPAP is associated with normalization of sleep in OSAS patients.