Pathophysiology of Sleep Apnoea.
Neural Control of the Upper Airway

Neural control of the upper airway muscles is essential in maintaining airway patency during sleep.

In healthy individuals, the activity of the genioglossus muscle, the primary upper airway dilator, increases during sleep to counteract the loss of muscle tone. However, in individuals with sleep apnoea , this compensatory mechanism is often insufficient to prevent airway collapse.

Recent studies have shown that defects in the neural control of the upper airway muscles contribute to the pathogenesis of sleep apnoea , highlighting the importance of understanding the neurobiology underlying this disorder. Electronic stimulation of this nerve, using implanted devices, is one of the treatments we will discuss later.