Alterations in neurotransmitter levels present in obstructive sleep apnea

Written by Courtney Johnson

A new study, conducted by researchers at UCLA School of Nursing (CA, USA) has demonstrated that increased levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate and decreased levels of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are present in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) when compared with healthy controls. The findings were published recently in the Journal of Sleep Research and may offer explanations for the various neurological symptoms observed in the disorder "In previous studies, we've seen structural changes in the brain due to sleep apnea, but in this study we actually found substantial differences in these two chemicals that influence how the...

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