Evaluation of serotonin and serotonin transporter levels among Obstructive Sleep Apnea patients
Introduction Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by recurrent pauses in breathing during sleep leading to sleep fragmentation and further excessive daytime sleepiness. Therefore, OSA patients are at high risk of suffering from complications from psychiatric disorders. Serotonin is a know...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2023-03-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933823006041/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797616151786684416 |
|---|---|
| author | A. Gabryelska D. Strzelecki M. Sochal |
| author_facet | A. Gabryelska D. Strzelecki M. Sochal |
| author_sort | A. Gabryelska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by recurrent pauses in breathing during sleep leading to sleep fragmentation and further excessive daytime sleepiness. Therefore, OSA patients are at high risk of suffering from complications from psychiatric disorders. Serotonin is a known neurotransmitter and together with serotonin transporter (SERT) is involved in the development of depression and insomnia.
Objectives
The study aimed to evaluate serotonin and SERT levels among OSA and healthy individuals and their association with insomnia and depression symptoms.
Methods
Forty individuals following polysomnography (PSG), based on the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), were divided into 2 groups: the OSA group (AHI30; n=20) and the control group (AHI<5; n=20). Participants filled out questionnaires: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). Peripheral blood was collected in the morning after PSG. Protein concentrations were measured using ELISA. Further groups were divided into subgroups based on the standard cut-off points: without (AIS (-)) and with (AIS (+)) insomnia symptoms (AIS>5) and without (BDI (-)) and with (BDI (+)) depression symptoms BDI (BDI>19).
Results
No differences between the OSA and control groups in serotonin (128.8 (73.4 – 209.0) vs. 132.7 (69.9 – 214.6) ng/ml, p=0.805 and SERT (55.8 (39.7 – 64.80) vs. 576.4 (424.2 – 658.3) pg/ml, p=0.564) levels were observed. In OSA group SERT level correlated with AHI (r=0.409, p=0.043), desaturation index (r=0.504, p=0.024) and mean oxygen desaturation during night (r=-0.522, p=0.018), while serotonin level was associated with BMI (r=0.550, p=0.012), but not PSG parameters. Serotonin level was higher in the AIS (+) group but only in healthy individuals. Further, serotonin levels decreased in the BDI (+) group, yet this finding was observed only in the control group.
Conclusions
The results show that serotonin levels are associated with the presence of insomnia in depression, but quite interestingly only among healthy individuals. The association between oxygen desaturation and SERT levels suggests the involvement of hypoxia in the serotonin signaling pathway. Yet further studies on larger populations are needed to better understand the mechanisms responsible for the development of psychiatric complications in OSA patients.
Disclosure of Interest
None Declared |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:37:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b04dacf350424c3f82e2d643a9b8eefe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:37:19Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-b04dacf350424c3f82e2d643a9b8eefe2023-11-17T05:09:20ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852023-03-0166S265S26610.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.604Evaluation of serotonin and serotonin transporter levels among Obstructive Sleep Apnea patientsA. Gabryelska0D. Strzelecki1M. Sochal21Department of Sleep Medicine and Metabolic Disorders2Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical Univesity of Lodz, Lodz, Poland1Department of Sleep Medicine and Metabolic Disorders Introduction Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by recurrent pauses in breathing during sleep leading to sleep fragmentation and further excessive daytime sleepiness. Therefore, OSA patients are at high risk of suffering from complications from psychiatric disorders. Serotonin is a known neurotransmitter and together with serotonin transporter (SERT) is involved in the development of depression and insomnia. Objectives The study aimed to evaluate serotonin and SERT levels among OSA and healthy individuals and their association with insomnia and depression symptoms. Methods Forty individuals following polysomnography (PSG), based on the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), were divided into 2 groups: the OSA group (AHI30; n=20) and the control group (AHI<5; n=20). Participants filled out questionnaires: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). Peripheral blood was collected in the morning after PSG. Protein concentrations were measured using ELISA. Further groups were divided into subgroups based on the standard cut-off points: without (AIS (-)) and with (AIS (+)) insomnia symptoms (AIS>5) and without (BDI (-)) and with (BDI (+)) depression symptoms BDI (BDI>19). Results No differences between the OSA and control groups in serotonin (128.8 (73.4 – 209.0) vs. 132.7 (69.9 – 214.6) ng/ml, p=0.805 and SERT (55.8 (39.7 – 64.80) vs. 576.4 (424.2 – 658.3) pg/ml, p=0.564) levels were observed. In OSA group SERT level correlated with AHI (r=0.409, p=0.043), desaturation index (r=0.504, p=0.024) and mean oxygen desaturation during night (r=-0.522, p=0.018), while serotonin level was associated with BMI (r=0.550, p=0.012), but not PSG parameters. Serotonin level was higher in the AIS (+) group but only in healthy individuals. Further, serotonin levels decreased in the BDI (+) group, yet this finding was observed only in the control group. Conclusions The results show that serotonin levels are associated with the presence of insomnia in depression, but quite interestingly only among healthy individuals. The association between oxygen desaturation and SERT levels suggests the involvement of hypoxia in the serotonin signaling pathway. Yet further studies on larger populations are needed to better understand the mechanisms responsible for the development of psychiatric complications in OSA patients. Disclosure of Interest None Declaredhttps://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933823006041/type/journal_article |
| spellingShingle | A. Gabryelska D. Strzelecki M. Sochal Evaluation of serotonin and serotonin transporter levels among Obstructive Sleep Apnea patients European Psychiatry |
| title | Evaluation of serotonin and serotonin transporter levels among Obstructive Sleep Apnea patients |
| title_full | Evaluation of serotonin and serotonin transporter levels among Obstructive Sleep Apnea patients |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of serotonin and serotonin transporter levels among Obstructive Sleep Apnea patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of serotonin and serotonin transporter levels among Obstructive Sleep Apnea patients |
| title_short | Evaluation of serotonin and serotonin transporter levels among Obstructive Sleep Apnea patients |
| title_sort | evaluation of serotonin and serotonin transporter levels among obstructive sleep apnea patients |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933823006041/type/journal_article |
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