INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 08 Program Schedule 02/16/2024 01:45 pm - 03:00 pm Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60) Poster Session 08: Cognition \| Cognitive Reserve Variables Final Abstract #46 Sleep Disordered Breathing, Cognition, and Body Mass Index in Young Adults Theresa Lin, Fordham University, Bronx, United States Caitlin Dougher, Fordham University, Bronx, United States Malorie Watson, Fordham University, Bronx, United States Molly Zimmerman, Fordham University, Bronx, United States Category: Sleep and Sleep Disorders Keyword 1: attention Keyword 2: sleep Keyword 3: cognitive functioning Objective: Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is a term describing a group of conditions resulting in abnormal breathing patterns during sleep due to upper airway dysfunction. SDB affects cognitive functioning in both adults and children, with documented deficits in executive functioning, attention, and memory. SDB is also associated with obesity, generally measured through body mass index (BMI). Obesity is strongly associated with both SDB risk and severity. Additionally, studies show that individuals with both high obesity and SDB show poorer cognitive performance compared to individuals with SDB alone. These studies have focused on older adult and pediatric populations, with few studies focusing on a young adult population. However, young adults experience cognitive change that is associated with rapid neuronal maturation and may have an emerging sense of independence that is likely to have a unique impact on the development and treatment of SDB. The purpose of the present study was to examine the association between SDB, BMI, and cognitive function, specifically executive function, attention, working memory, and long-term memory. Participants and Methods: University students from the Bronx, NY (N=49, M_age=19.8 years (SD = 1.30), female=65%) completed the Berlin Questionnaire to assess SDB risk. Self-reported height and weight were used to calculate BMI. Estimated intellectual ability was assessed using the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR). Cognitive assessment measures included the Modified Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (long-term memory), Trail Making Test A (attention) and B (executive function), Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT; FAS and animal naming (executive function)), and the Cogstate computerized battery (Groton Maze Learning Test (executive function), Identification Test (attention), One Back Test (working memory), Two Back Test (working memory), and Groton Maze Learning Test Recall (long-term memory)). Psychosocial assessment included the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21). Results: Using a univariate ANOVA, BMI was determined to significantly moderate the relationship between SDB risk and attention. Specifically, for individuals with low BMI, as SDB risk increased, performance on attention measures increased. However, in individuals with high BMI, the association between SDB risk and performance on attentional measures changed direction (F(1,44) = 5.88, p = 0.02, η² = 0.12). BMI did not significantly moderate the relationship between SDB risk and any of the other domains of cognitive functions measured. Conclusions: Analyses indicated that in healthy young adults, BMI significantly moderated the relationship between SDB and attention such that in individuals with high BMI, performance on attention measures decreased as SDB risk increased. This finding is in line with prior research on BMI moderating the relationship between SDB and cognition and further contributes to the literature by suggesting attentional deficits in young adults as well. Given these findings, and that young adulthood is a time of rapid development and independence, further work in this population is necessary.

Poster

02/16/2024
01:45 pm - 03:00 pm
Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60)

Poster Session 08: Cognition | Cognitive Reserve Variables

Final Abstract #46

Sleep Disordered Breathing, Cognition, and Body Mass Index in Young Adults

Theresa Lin, Fordham University, Bronx, United States
Caitlin Dougher, Fordham University, Bronx, United States
Malorie Watson, Fordham University, Bronx, United States
Molly Zimmerman, Fordham University, Bronx, United States

Category: Sleep and Sleep Disorders

Keyword 1: attention
Keyword 2: sleep
Keyword 3: cognitive functioning

Objective:

Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is a term describing a group of conditions resulting in abnormal breathing patterns during sleep due to upper airway dysfunction. SDB affects cognitive functioning in both adults and children, with documented deficits in executive functioning, attention, and memory. SDB is also associated with obesity, generally measured through body mass index (BMI). Obesity is strongly associated with both SDB risk and severity. Additionally, studies show that individuals with both high obesity and SDB show poorer cognitive performance compared to individuals with SDB alone. These studies have focused on older adult and pediatric populations, with few studies focusing on a young adult population. However, young adults experience cognitive change that is associated with rapid neuronal maturation and may have an emerging sense of independence that is likely to have a unique impact on the development and treatment of SDB. The purpose of the present study was to examine the association between SDB, BMI, and cognitive function, specifically executive function, attention, working memory, and long-term memory.

Participants and Methods:

University students from the Bronx, NY (N=49, M_age=19.8 years (SD = 1.30), female=65%) completed the Berlin Questionnaire to assess SDB risk. Self-reported height and weight were used to calculate BMI. Estimated intellectual ability was assessed using the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR). Cognitive assessment measures included the Modified Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (long-term memory), Trail Making Test A (attention) and B (executive function), Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT; FAS and animal naming (executive function)), and the Cogstate computerized battery (Groton Maze Learning Test (executive function), Identification Test (attention), One Back Test (working memory), Two Back Test (working memory), and Groton Maze Learning Test Recall (long-term memory)). Psychosocial assessment included the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21).

Results:

Using a univariate ANOVA, BMI was determined to significantly moderate the relationship between SDB risk and attention. Specifically, for individuals with low BMI, as SDB risk increased, performance on attention measures increased. However, in individuals with high BMI, the association between SDB risk and performance on attentional measures changed direction (F(1,44) = 5.88, p = 0.02, η² = 0.12). BMI did not significantly moderate the relationship between SDB risk and any of the other domains of cognitive functions measured.

Conclusions:

Analyses indicated that in healthy young adults, BMI significantly moderated the relationship between SDB and attention such that in individuals with high BMI, performance on attention measures decreased as SDB risk increased. This finding is in line with prior research on BMI moderating the relationship between SDB and cognition and further contributes to the literature by suggesting attentional deficits in young adults as well. Given these findings, and that young adulthood is a time of rapid development and independence, further work in this population is necessary.