UCLA Study Uncovers Gender Brain Differences in OSA Patients

A study by the UCLA School of Nursing found significant clinical differences between the brains of women and men diagnosed with sleep apnea, helping to emphasize the need for different treatment approaches.

Using MRI scans, the study compared the cortex thicknesses of 12 women and 36 men with mild to severe OSA to 22 females and 40 males who didn’t have the condition. The study found more areas of the superior frontal lobe were thinner in women with OSA than men, which could explain why women with OSA suffer from more cognitive problems. It was not clear if the physical brain changes precede sleep apnea or worsen the symptoms as the disorder progresses.  

Source: newsroom.ucla.edu