The Resting-State Functional Connectivity of the Default Mode Networks in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome

Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is normally linked to cognitive and functional dysfunctions. In this study, we explored the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in the default mode network (DMN) to show the mechanism of neurophysiology in patients with OSAHS. Resting-state structural and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) data were obtained from sixteen male moderate-to- severe patients with untreated OSAHS and 15 male matched healthy control subjects. The rsFC in the DMN was analyzed between OSAHS and healthy controls by the CONN software. Compared with the controls, the rsFC showed a significant decrease in the medial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate and posterior cingulate, and showed an increase in the left inferior parietal lobule in OSAHS patients. The results indicated that the OSAHS patients presented alternatives of rsFC in the DMN compared with the controls. Keywords: CONN, default mode networks, obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome, resting-state functional connectivity.