Detection of central and obstructive sleep apneas in mice: a new surgical and recording protocol v2

Sleep apnea is a common disorder in humans and consists of recurrent episodes of cessation of breathing or decrease in airflow during sleep. Sleep apneas can be classified as central (CSA) or obstructive (OSA), based on their origin. CSA results from impairments of the inspiratory drive generated by the brainstem with a consequent interruption of diaphragm muscle effort, while OSA occurs due to upper airway obstruction during inspiration with a continued or increased respiratory effort. Mice are valuable tools to expedite the comprehension of the pathophysiology and genetics of sleep apneas and the development of targeted therapies to contrast sleep-disordered breathing and its adverse consequences on health. Therefore, we provide a method for distinguishing between CSA-like and OSA-like events during sleep in mice by simultaneously recording sleep states, breathing pattern, and diaphragm electromyographic activity inside a whole-body plethysmograph. We applied this technique in adult C57BL/6J wild-type mice and in a mouse model of Down syndrome (PMID: 34509609).