Central sleep apnea is caused by which of the following?

• A. Caused by obesity
• B. Caused by pneumonia
• C. Caused by lung disease
• D. Caused by failure of the respiratory center of the brain to send signals to the respiratory muscles

Answer: (D)

Central sleep apnea happens when the brain's breathing control centers in the brainstem fail to send regular signals to the respiratory muscles during sleep. Without this neural drive, breathing pauses occur because the muscles aren’t being prompted to contract. This is different from obstructive sleep apnea, where breathing stops because the airway is blocked despite ongoing neural signals. Obesity increases risk for obstructive sleep apnea, not central. Pneumonia is a lung infection and doesn’t cause the brain to stop signaling for breathing, and lung disease or hypoventilation involves mechanical or gas-exchange issues rather than a failure of the brain’s signaling. So the description of the brain failing to send signals to the respiratory muscles best explains central sleep apnea.