Attentional control is partially impaired in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Summary Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is associated with executive cognitive impairment. An important question is whether impairment in executive functioning in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is independent of dysfunction in attention. Attentional control is a subcomponent of executive function...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of sleep research 2013-08, Vol.22 (4), p.422-429
Main Authors: Tulek, Baykal, Atalay, Nart Bedin, Kanat, Fikret, Suerdem, Mecit
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Attention - physiology
Case-Control Studies
Cognition Disorders - etiology
Cognition Disorders - physiopathology
conflict adaptation
conflict frequency
Executive Function - physiology
Female
Frontal Lobe - physiopathology
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Neuropsychological Tests
obstructive sleep apnea
post‐error slowing
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - complications
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - physiopathology
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - psychology
Stroop Test
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Summary:Summary Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is associated with executive cognitive impairment. An important question is whether impairment in executive functioning in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is independent of dysfunction in attention. Attentional control is a subcomponent of executive functioning that is mediated by frontal lobe processing. In the current study, we investigated whether attentional control is deficient in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Attentional control processes were investigated through conflict adaptation and conflict frequency paradigms. These neuropsychological paradigms were assessed by using the Simon, Flanker and Stroop tasks. We additionally analysed post‐error slowing data within these tasks. Error processing is another index of cognitive control that is mediated by frontal lobe functioning. Our sample consisted of 14 healthy adults and 24 patients with untreated moderate–severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Results indicated that attentional control is partially dysfunctional among patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Attentional control processes were deficient when focal attention (Flanker task) processes were involved, but were intact when observed using the Simon and Stroop tasks. A non‐significant trend in post‐error slowing data suggested that error processing, assessed with the Flanker task, was diminished among patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. These results support the view that obstructive sleep apnea syndrome leads to some amount of frontal lobe dysfunction, and that attentional control and error processing might be particularly affected by obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
ISSN:0962-1105
1365-2869
DOI:10.1111/jsr.12038