P. Jennum et al., HEADACHE AND COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTIONS IN SNORERS - A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY OF 3323 MEN AGED 54 TO 74 YEARS - THE COPENHAGEN MALE STUDY, Archives of neurology, 51(9), 1994, pp. 937-942
Objective: Cognitive symptoms, headache, and sleep-related complaints,
including snoring, are commonly reported by patients with sleep apnea
. Because patients with sleep apnea generally are snorers, we decided
to study whether snoring per se is associated with cognitive complaint
s and headache. Design: Cross-sectional epidemiologic follow-up study.
Setting: General community. Participants: A total of 3323 men, aged 5
4 to 74 years, previously selected from among employees of public or p
rivate companies in the Copenhagen, Denmark, area. Method: Participant
s were classified according to self-reported snoring habits and these
were compared with self-reported cognitive complaints and headache. Fo
urteen potential confounders were included. Results: The odds ratio (9
5% confidence interval) for headache was 1.5 (1.3 to 1.8, P<.0001) for
self-reported snorers after adjustments for age, body mass index, and
alcohol and tobacco consumption, whereas no relationships were found
between snoring and memory or concentration problems in the total popu
lation. Snoring was not related to use of central nervous system medic
ation; previous stroke; presence of parkinsonism, epilepsy, or psychia
tric diseases; previous head trauma; or exposure to organic solvents.
Hypersomnia was significantly associated with snoring (P<.0001), heada
che (P<.0001), memory problems (P<.0001), concentration problems (P<.0
001), age (P<.01), body mass index (P<.001), and alcohol consumption (
P<.05) and negatively correlated with smoking (P<.0001). Irrespective
of the severity of hypersomnia, no association was found between snori
ng and memory or concentration problems. The relationship between snor
ing and headache was independent of severity of hypersomnia. Conclusio
ns: Snoring is associated with headache but not with cognitive dysfunc
tion. Hypersomnia shows a correlation to cognitive problems. If associ
ations are found between snoring and cognitive dysfunction, these may
be related in part to the presence of hypersomnia.