Research advances in the association between Irisin and obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder characterized by recurrent upper airway obstruction leading to intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation. It is closely associated with cognitive impairment, various cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and metabolic syndrome. Irisin is a multifunctional myokine activated via the PGC-1α/FNDC5 pathway during skeletal muscle exercise. It is widely expressed in tissues such as the myocardium and brain, exerting multi-organ protective effects including promoting adipose browning, improving insulin resistance, inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress, enhancing cognitive function, and providing cardiovascular protection. Given the systemic pathological damage caused by OSA and the broad protective effects of irisin, this review systematically explores their association. It focuses on the relationship between irisin levels and OSA severity, as well as the mechanisms of irisin in OSA-related cognitive impairment and comorbidities, aiming to provide new insights for the precise diagnosis and treatment of OSA.