De Fazio, Daniela (2010) An exploratory study of neuropsychological impairment, driving performance, and sleepiness in obstructive sleep apnoea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Other Degree thesis, Victoria University.

Abstract

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are both medical conditions clearly associated with cognitive impairment. Impaired performance on tasks measuring reaction time, concentration, learning, memory, and driving ability have been observed. These deficits result in a higher risk of accidental injury for people who are diagnosed with such disorders. In patients with OSA, impaired performance on these measures may reflect the sleep fragmentation associated with multiple arousals during sleep, and/or the degree of hypoxemia and oxygen desaturation. In contrast, the level of impairment seen in COPD is related to the degree of hypoxemia both during sleep and during waking hours. The major aim of this study was to compare driving performance and neuropsychological function in OSA and COPD patients with healthy control participants, and to also compare OSA patients to COPD patients. The second aim was to determine the contribution of sleep fragmentation and hypoxaemia to poor performance and neuropsychological decline.

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