REM sleep disruption and memory: how sleep fragmentation and intermittent hypoxia affect memory in sleep apnea
Official title: Contributions of sleep fragmentation and intermittent hypoxia from REM sleep apnea on memory processing
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11345200 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant tests how interruptions in REM sleep from sleep apnea affect memory and brain activity in adults with obstructive sleep apnea.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $705,598 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AG101667-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11345200 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with severe obstructive sleep apnea who are adherent to CPAP therapy.
✕Less likely to help
People without sleep apnea or those not undergoing CPAP withdrawal protocols may not benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will use a sleep-induction model to isolate REM sleep disruption in people with severe sleep apnea who normally use CPAP. They will monitor brain activity with fMRI during spatial navigation tasks before and after sleep, comparing normal sleep to REM-specific interruptions. The study aims to link REM sleep disruption to changes in hippocampal and fusiform gyrus activity and overnight memory performance. Findings could clarify why REM disturbances impair memory and point to targeted ways to protect memory in sleep apnea.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could inform new strategies to preserve memory in people with sleep apnea, especially by protecting REM sleep.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work showed REM-specific disruption affects memory and brain activity, supporting potential translational value.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Varga, Andrew W — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Varga, Andrew W
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.