Background: Persons who have sustained a traumatic brain injury are at a significantly increased risk for
sleep disorders. One of the most commonly diagnosed sleep disorders after traumatic brain injury is sleep apnea,
defined as a cessation of breathing accompanied by frequent arousals and hypoxia during sleep. The effects
of untreated sleep apnea on a person’s cognitive decline and the development of behavioral deficits have only
recently been identified. It has been shown that axonal damage can occur because of sleep apnea and numerous
neuropsychological studies of sleep apnea patients show deficits in cognitive domains, such as executive function
and attention. However, there has been little published discussion regarding the interaction between sleep apnea
and executive function among persons with traumatic brain injury.
Objectives: The objectives of this review were to 1) review/synthesize published work relevant to the discussion
of sleep apnea influencing executive function; and 2) clarify the nature of the interface between executive function
and sleep apnea in persons with traumatic brain injury.
Results: Until now, little attention has been directed to the neurobehavioral consequences of sleep apnea in
persons with traumatic brain injury. There is an urgent need for more longitudinal research examining the effects
of sleep apnea on executive function after traumatic brain injury and the effectiveness of sleep apnea treatment on
executive function after injury