What sounds like science fiction might prove to be a cure for obstructive sleep apnea, a dangerous sleep disorder that affects millions of Americans. Scientists are starting to test a device designed to stop apnea by zapping the tongue during sleep. The idea is to stop the tongue and throat muscles from relaxing so much that they collapse and block breathing. For people with apnea, that can happen for 30 seconds or so, causing them to jerk awake and gasp – a cycle that repeats itself 30 or more times an hour. The repeated awakenings deprive apnea sufferers of crucial deep sleep, raising their risk for car crashes and potentially deadly diseases. Apnea is also associated with loud snoring, which can disrupt the sleep of an apnea sufferer’s bed partner. By the end of January, Minneapolis-based Inspire Medical Systems plans to begin enrolling 100 apnea patients in a study to see if so-called hypoglossal nerve stimulation really works. Two competitors are developing similar implants: San Diego-based ImThera Medical and Apnex Medical of St. Paul, Minn.
DUMMR.com 