Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) are studying maternal sleep apnea to better understand its effects on fetal neurological development, supported by a nearly $700,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health. This research aims to inform strategies that healthcare professionals can implement to minimize pregnancy-related complications associated with this common condition.
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Sleep apnea, characterized by interrupted breathing during sleep, poses particular risks to pregnant women, yet its implications for fetal brain development remain largely unexplored. Stephen A. Back, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of pediatrics at OHSU and the lead researcher, noted the critical nature of the final months of pregnancy for fetal brain growth and development. He emphasized that oxygen deprivation from maternal sleep apnea could lead to serious cognitive delays and learning disabilities in early childhood.
Maternal sleep apnea peaks during the third trimester, a vital period for brain maturation. Researchers hypothesize that its effects extend beyond birth, potentially hindering a child's motor skills, learning abilities, attention, and overall cognitive function later in life.
Over the next four years, OHSU's research, which began in December, will focus on the hippocampus, the brain area linked to learning and memory. Under the direction of Jacob Raber, Ph.D., and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) expert Christopher D. Kroenke, Ph.D., the team will investigate how maternal sleep apnea affects neurological development in a preclinical animal model. They will utilize MRI to identify brain abnormalities resulting from maternal sleep apnea.
The findings from this study may lead to new clinical approaches to address complications associated with maternal sleep apnea during pregnancy, potentially enhancing childhood cognitive outcomes. Back expressed hope that the research will underscore the health risks linked to this condition and stimulate clinicians to provide timely treatments for expectant mothers, thereby improving the overall well-being of their children.
Funding for the project comes from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. All animal research conducted at OHSU is subject to approval by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, which focuses on the health and safety of animal subjects and researchers.