Respiratory and Cardiovascular Activation at Arousal from Sleep

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An arousal from sleep, no matter how brief, is assciated with increased activity in the respiratory and cardiac systems. Under normal circumstances the response is considered adaptive. However, in disorders of sleep in which individuals arouse frequently and their sleep is fragmented, such as in Obstructive Sleep Apnea, the phenomenon has been linked to hypertension. While the clinical consequences of sleep fragmentation are now apparent, the mechanism that causes the increase in physiological activity at each arousal, is not known. The aim of this project will provide insight into the mechanism that produces the activation response and provide a basis for minimising the cardiac consequences of sleep disorders.