Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41686366›Full record

ArticleSleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung2026

Tract-specific white matter changes and their cognitive correlates in obstructive sleep apnea: a cross-sectional study using 3.0 T diffusion tensor imaging.

Bang Luo, Lingling Deng, Biao Wang, Keyang Zhou, Ting Su, Yaxin Yang, Xuanyu Chen, Mei Yuan

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Bang Luo *Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, No. 35, Jiefang Avenue, Zhengxiang District, Hengyang City, Hunan Province, 421001, China.
Lingling Deng *Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China.
Biao WangDepartment of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, No. 35, Jiefang Avenue, Zhengxiang District, Hengyang City, Hunan Province, 421001, China.
Keyang ZhouDepartment of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China.
Ting SuDepartment of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, No. 35, Jiefang Avenue, Zhengxiang District, Hengyang City, Hunan Province, 421001, China.
Yaxin YangDepartment of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, No. 35, Jiefang Avenue, Zhengxiang District, Hengyang City, Hunan Province, 421001, China.
Xuanyu ChenDepartment of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, No. 35, Jiefang Avenue, Zhengxiang District, Hengyang City, Hunan Province, 421001, China.
Mei YuanDepartment of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, No. 35, Jiefang Avenue, Zhengxiang District, Hengyang City, Hunan Province, 421001, China. 2012020002@usc.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-2110-6168

Funding

Clinical Research Center for Prevention and Treatment of Cognitive Impairment in Hunan Province 2023SK4050Major Scientific Research Projects for Advanced Talents of the Hunan Provincial Health Commission R2023150University of South China Clinical Research 4310 Program 20224310NHYCG08
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder linked to cognitive deficits, while the neuroanatomical substrates remain elusive. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) enables in vivo evaluation of white matter (WM) integrity, while tract-specific associations with cognition in OSA need further research.

methodsA total of 58 participants were enrolled, including healthy controls (HC, n = 14), OSA patients without cognitive impairment (OSA-NC, n = 18), and OSA patients with cognitive impairment (OSA-CI, n = 26). All participants underwent 3.0 T DTI. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD) values were extracted from 50 predefined WM tracts. MoCA subtests were converted into seven domain Z-scores. Intergroup differences and tract–cognition correlations were analyzed, adjusting for demographics.

resultsThe OSA-CI group demonstrated widespread FA reductions and MD/RD/AD elevations compared with the HC group, most evident in the corpus callosum, hippocampus, cingulum, fornix, and uncinate fasciculus (p < 0.05). Cognitive impairments were prominent in attention, executive function, and memory domains. Notably, FA in the left uncinate fasciculus was correlated with visuospatial deficits (r=–0.429, p = 0.041), and RD in the right fornix was correlated with delayed recall (r = 0.445, p = 0.033). Additional associations were identified in the genu and external capsule.

conclusionsDTI-detected WM alterations are linked to domain-specific cognitive deficits in OSA. The corpus callosum, tapetum, and uncinate fasciculus may serve as early imaging biomarkers of cognitive vulnerability.

Indexed as

Cognition DisordersCognitive DysfunctionDiffusion Tensor ImagingSleep Apnea, ObstructiveWhite MatterAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedCognitive impairmentDiffusion tensor imagingFractional anisotropyObstructive sleep apneaWhite matter tracts

Identifiers

PMID41686366

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.