A recent study, published in Neurology, has highlighted a link between sleep apnea and brain volume in areas related to Alzheimer’s disease.
This adds to the growing body of research that suggests sleep disorders could be connected to an increased risk of dementia.
The study looked at 122 older adults, with an average age of 69, who didn’t have memory issues. Some of these people had signs of early Alzheimer’s in their brains, known as amyloid plaques, while others didn’t.
Geraldine Rauchs, the study author, said, “We found that those with amyloid plaques and severe sleep apneas were more likely to have lower volumes in parts of their brain important for memory.”
What the Study Found
Participants in the study had brain scans, memory tests, and even sleep studies done at home. The follow-up memory tests were done after an average of 21 months.
What was striking is that among those with amyloid plaques, the people with more severe sleep apnea also had lower brain volume in regions important for memory and linked to Alzheimer’s.
This could mean loss of brain cells. This link wasn’t found in people who didn’t have amyloid plaques.
“In simple terms, it looks like sleep apnea could be especially bad for those who are already at risk for Alzheimer’s,” Rauchs said.
Why This Matters and Next Steps
While this study doesn’t prove that sleep apnea causes a reduction in brain volume, it does show there’s some sort of relationship. This is especially significant for people who already have early signs of Alzheimer’s.
People with lower hippocampus volumes at the beginning of the study also showed lower scores in a particular memory test by the end of the study.
Interestingly, there was no direct link found between sleep apnea and lower memory scores.
It’s worth noting that the study had some limitations. One is that the same memory test was used at the beginning and end of the study.
This could mean some decline in memory might not have been caught because people became familiar with the test.
Rauchs suggests that more research is needed.
The key question is whether treating sleep apnea could actually help improve memory and potentially slow down brain aging, particularly for those already showing early signs of Alzheimer’s.
For now, what’s clear is that sleep apnea might not just be a sleep issue. It could also be a brain health issue, particularly for those who are already vulnerable.
Further studies could help us understand if treating sleep apnea could be a new way to tackle some forms of dementia.
If you care about Alzheimer’s, please read studies about the root cause of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s, and 5 steps to protect against Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about this tooth disease linked to dementia, and results showing this MIND diet may protect your cognitive function, prevent dementia.
The research findings can be found in Neurology.
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