Sleep and Breathing in the General Population - Chemical Stimuli

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is a common condition and its treatment remains elusive. The focus of this proposal is to identify the role of the physiologic path involving cortical arousals in CSA by decreasing arousal frequency using the pharmacological agent zolpidem. The goal is to identify the acute effects of administering zolpidem on sleep and respiratory outcomes, and subsequently, its effect on the severity of CSA and propensity to develop CSA. This study will shed light on the mechanisms underlying CSA that involve cortical arousals and will guide future therapeutic interventions for CSA.