Sleep apnea contributes to the development of dementia in older people, especially women

The researchers found this out by looking at data from surveys and cognitive tests of more than 18,500 adults determine the potential impact of known or suspected obstructive sleep apnea on risk of dementia.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by episodes interruption or restriction of breathing during sleep.

For everyoneadults over 50 or more, having obstructive sleep apnea or its symptoms (because people often don’t know they have a problem) has been associated with higher probability signs or diagnosis of dementia in the next few years.

Although the overall difference in dementia diagnoses was never greater than 5%, the association remained statistically significant

even after the researchers took into account many other factors that may influence dementia risk, such as race and education.

Sex differences

At all age levels, women those with known or suspected sleep apnea were more likely than men to be diagnosed with dementia. In fact, the diagnosis rate for dementia is dWith age, it decreases in men and increases in women.

“Our results provide new insight into the role of treatable sleep disorders in long-term cognitive health at the population level, both women and men,” says the first author, Tiffany J. Braley, neurologist, director of the Division of Multiple Sclerosis/Neuroimmunology and co-founder of the multiple sclerosis sleep and fatigue multidisciplinary clinic at the University of Michigan.

Researchers say that even reasons for sex differences are unknown in the diagnosis of dementia based on sleep apnea.

But they put forward several possible explanations, such as that women with moderate sleep apnea may have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and are more likely to suffer from insomnia, two factors that can negatively impact cognitive function.

“Estrogen begins to decline as women go through menopause.which can affect your brain,” explains the co-author. Galit Levi Dunets, PhD, MPH, is an assistant professor of neurology and sleep medicine at the University of Michigan.

“During this time they are more likely to get hurt changes in memory, sleep and mood this can lead to cognitive decline, he explains. Sleep apnea increases significantly after menopause but remains underdiagnosed. “We need more epidemiological studies to better understand how sleep disturbances in women affect their cognitive health.”

Mental health problems

In the 2024 report, the journal commission “Lancet” have identified several modifiable risk factors that are collectively responsible for 40% of global dementia.

Although sleep was not included as an official risk factor, the panel noted that sleep apnea “may be associated with dementia” and considered adding dementia screening questions for people with the sleep disorder.

Other modifiable risk factors for dementia include cardiovascular diseases and mental health problems, which can be made worse by untreated sleep apnea.

“These potential damage “Sleep apneas, many of which threaten and impair cognitive function, highlight the importance of early diagnosis and treatment,” Braley says. “Obstructive sleep apnea and resulting sleep deprivation and fragmentation are also associated with inflammatory changes in the brain, which may contribute to cognitive decline.”

“This study design cannot fully demonstrate that sleep apnea causes dementia because it would require randomized trial needed

“Over the years, to compare the effects of treatment for sleep apnea with the effects of no treatment,” says co-author. Ronald D. Chervin, director of sleep medicine in the UM Health department of neurology.

“Because it may be a long time before such a study is conducted, retrospective analyzes like ours across large databases could be some of the most informative in the coming years,” he continues. Meanwhile, The results provide new evidence “Doctors and patients, when making decisions about testing and treating sleep apnea, should consider the possibility that untreated sleep apnea causes or worsens dementia.”