Epileptic disorders : international epilepsy journal with videotape
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Obstructive sleep apnea affects up to 30% of patients with epilepsy. As obstructive sleep apnea represents a clinical risk factor for cognitive deficits, its occurrence in epilepsy patients may exacerbate cognitive deficits associated with this condition. However, the cognitive burden of obstructive sleep apnea in epilepsy remains poorly understood. ⋯ Our findings indicate that more severe obstructive sleep apnea-related hypoxemia during sleep is associated with poorer cognitive performances on tests that assess attention/executive functions and verbal memory in patients with epilepsy. Overall, these results are consistent with the sleep apnea literature, and suggest that patients with epilepsy are also vulnerable to the effects of obstructive sleep apnea. Future prospective studies will help in determining whether treatment of obstructive sleep apnea may help improve cognitive functioning in patients with epilepsy.