The role of NF-κB-mediated JNK pathway in cognitive impairment in a rat model of sleep apnea

Sleep apnea (SA), as a common chronic disease, is characterized by repeated episodes of full or partial obstruction of the upper respiratory tract during sleep (1). Recurrent airflow obstruction during sleep leads to chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), which is a major hallmark in SA (2). Plenty of studies suggest that CIH-induced pathogenesis mainly includes oxidative stress, inflammation and cognitive deficits (3,4). It is estimated that up to 30% of patients with SA have cognitive impairment (5). Additionally, the hippocampus is closely related to spatial learning and memorizing, and its injury is thought to be the major cause of cognitive impairment in SA patients (6,7)