Sleep architecture, blood proteins and brain size in OSAH and aMCI v.1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A comparison of the sleep architecture and sleep-wake patterns with the levels of phosphorylated and total tau and amyloid-beta biomarkers and brain volume in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea (OSAH) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI)
IRAS ID
330293
Contact name
Sonia Correa-Muller
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
NA, NA
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSAH) is a sleep breathing disorder which causes a reduction in the amount of air that we breathe in. This is caused by the back of the throat becoming floppy and can cause oxygen levels to drop in the blood. Consequently this can poor quality sleep with lots of awakenings.
Having OSAH may be a risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Before AD develops there are signs of memory loss, which is considered the initial stage to AD. This initial stage is called amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). AMCI and AD can be measured by scanning the brain to look at decreases in brain size, and a test which measures certain proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid. These proteins are one of the causes of AD and excess levels can accumulate in the brain as a result of low oxygen and poor sleep. This will affect the brain size and how it works.
The study will compare three groups, one group diagnosed with aMCI, one group with a mild OSAH, and one group with moderate/severe OSAH. Each group will need to complete questionnaires to assess sleep quality, sleepiness levels and memory ability, a basic home sleep test, a more advanced sleep test to measure brain activity and breathing during sleep, and a blood test to measure the amount of blood protein. Some of the OSAH groups will have an MRI brain scan to measure the size and function of the brain.
We will be able to compare the results of these tests across all three groups, to see if the patients with OSAH have sleep and breathing measurements that are like the measurements in those with aMCI. The sleep and breathing measures will also be compared to the blood and MRI to see if there are any associations.REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/NW/0365
Date of REC Opinion
19 Dec 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion