Bark from an African tree shows promise for treating the disorder.
According to an article in MIT News, “Yohimbine, a chemical derived from the bark of the African yohimbe tree,” has been tested successfully in rats by MIT researchers. Although it is still many years from being tested properly on humans, and Chi-Sang Poon, a principal researcher at MIT’s Institute for Medical Engineering and Science (IMES) warns that, “Before clinical trials are done, it is not advisable for the general public to try this on their own,” scientists are hopeful.
Currently, for sleep apnea, “The most effective treatment is a device known as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, which delivers a stream of compressed air into the airway to prevent it from closing.”
CPAP Machine Effective, but Unpopular
“It works very well, but the problem is everybody hates it,” Poon is quoted in the article as saying. “It’s very uncomfortable and inconvenient. Almost half of the people prescribed never use it.”
Scientests Targeted Nerve Controlling Tongue
“Because of this,” they say,” many scientists have been trying to develop a drug treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, which would be easier for patients to tolerate. One drug target that researchers have sought to exploit is the hypoglossal nerve, which controls the tongue. Scientists had hoped that stimulating this nerve during sleep would help prevent the tongue from falling back, but none of the drugs they have tried have been successful.
New Approach Might Teach Nerves and Muscles to Guard Against Sleep Apnea
The article reports that “The MIT team decided to take a different approach. Previous research had suggested that the hypoglossal neurons that control the tongue are stimulated by a part of the brain known as the pons, located in the brain stem. Two particular groups of neurons in the pons, known as A5 and A7, had been thought to contribute to hypoglossal neuron activation. In experiments performed on rats, the MIT team found that obstructive apnea that is artificially imposed while the animals are not asleep can actually make this A5 and A7 activation of hypoglossal neurons become even stronger, and stay strong long afterward.
“It is as though these neurons can ‘learn’ from the obstructive apnea experience and remain vigilant against it later,” Poon says.”
To learn more about this promising line of research, read the article in MIT News, but if you want to look into alternatives to the CPAP machine that you can use now, call Dr. Valachi at the Dental Sleep Apnea Clinic.
Stop Snoring, Sleep Better, and Live Longer!
Stop putting off your concerns about snoring and begin your journey to a sleep apnea solution now. The Dental Sleep Apnea Clinic can help you find relief from your sleep apnea. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.
