UPPER AIRWAY FUNCTION IN HEALTH AND DISEASE

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The Obstructive Sleep Apnoea syndrome (OSA) refers to a condition in which throat blockage occurs during sleep leading to breathing difficulties, including cessation of breathing for short periods of time. OSA is amongst the commonest chronic disorders of adult males, occurring in 5% of men over the age of 45 years. We will examine how muscles in the throat act to keep the airway open. We will also study how tongue and jaw position influences throat blockage. The throat is lined with fluid which may become dry and sticky if, for example, breathing takes place via the mouth rather than the nose. We will study the effects of this throat lining fluid and examine ways in which treatments might help to avoid throat blockage during sleep by keeping the throat lined with non-sticky fluid. These studies will increase our understanding of OSA and help to design better treatments for the condition. People who have OSA also may develop high blood pressure associated with the nervous system response to breathing difficulties during sleep over a long period of time. In the same way as is used in the lie detector test, we will use measurements of the electrical conductivity of the skin to assess this nervous system response during sleep. These studies will help to understand how hypertension develops in OSA and who is likely to be affected. Asthma is a major health problem in Australia affecting around 20% of children and 12% of adults. Asthmatics react to inhaled pollens etc. The nose normally acts as a filter to remove many such particles from the inhaled air. If breathing takes place via the mouth more and larger particles can gain access to the lungs. We will investigate whether asthmatics breathe through their nose only or breathe through the mouth more than normal (particularly during sleep), if treatments can alter this and whether such treatments reduce the occurence of asthma attacks.