Jun 18, 2008 3:51 pm US/Pacific
Study Shows That Sleep Apnea May Cause Memory Loss
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Sleep Apnea causes sufferers to repeatedly wake up throughout the night. The lack of sleep can make it hard to focus during the day.
Jim Reynolds says sleep apnea not only zapped his energy and focus but damaged his short term memory.
"If you imagine what it's like when you go through a night without any sleep. The next day you're foggy, now imagine what it's like going through ten years of that," says Reynolds.
During sleep apnea, muscles in the throat become relaxed, cutting off the airway and constantly waking patients up.
"I would wake up in the night gasping for air," says Reynolds.
He started having trouble remembering new things. UCLA's Doctor Ronald Harper says it's common among these patients.
"Particularly recent memory," says Harper.
It's been assumed short term memory problems are caused by the sleep deprivation. But when Doctor Harper looked inside the brain he discovered much more.
The part of our brain that stores memories is called mammilla bodies. Here's what a normal scan should look like. Doctor Harper found in sleep apnea patients that area had shrunk significantly.
"The left and right side are both reduced and the left side is especially diminished in size," says Dr. Harper.
Its suspected constant oxygen loss is to blame. Researchers want to start testing a vitamin – given to alcoholics who suffer memory loss – to see if it can help.
Until then doctors say sleeping with a breathing assist machine and daily exercise is the best treatment.
"We're finding brain areas do recover, especially after exercise," says Dr. Harper.
It's worked for Jim.
"My sharpness during the day improved tremendously," says Jim.
However, his short term memory has not returned fully – and he wonders if it ever will.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
