Dr. Melissa Stephens

The Neuropsychology of Breathing-related Sleep Disorders: is Treatment Effective in Improving Cognitive Functioning and Driving Performance? Dr. Melissa Stephens

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a complex disorder of neural respiratory control and upper airway dysfunction that results in repeated complete and partial occlusion of the upper airway during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnoea has been linked to fatigue, increased rates of road and work-related accidents and deficits across a range of neurocognitive domains. The most widely used treatment for OSA is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). The author investigates the effects of OSA on neurocognitive functioning, simulated driving performance, vigilance, and objective and subjective sleepiness, and answers the question: is treatment with CPAP effective in alleviating any or all of these deficits? These issues are discussed in light of the importance of detecting such impairments in order to minimise the risk of accidental injury to sufferers of OSA and others. This book will be of interest to psychologists, sleep researchers, and scientists in general.