By John Salak –
It’s bad enough that at least 25 million American adults suffer from sleep apnea, perhaps 80 percent of which are undiagnosed. It is a chronic problem that has been known to increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and depression, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Now, research suggests it may also raise the risk of another debilitating problem: dementia among adults, particularly women.
A disorder characterized by episodes of disrupted or restricted breathing during sleep, Michigan Medicine researchers uncovered the link between obstructive sleep apnea and dementia by examining survey and cognitive screening data from more than 18,500 adults.
The results identified a higher chance for all adults 50 and over with sleep apnea of showing signs of dementia or specifically being diagnosed with the disease. While the overall difference in those dementia diagnoses never rose above 5 percent, the link remained statistically significant even after researchers accounted for many other factors that can affect dementia risk, such as race and education.
The researchers went on to note that at every age level, women with known or suspected sleep apnea were more likely than men to be diagnosed with dementia. Beyond this, the rate of dementia diagnosis decreased among the men and grew larger for the women as they aged.
It is unclear why the sleep apnea-dementia link is more apparent in women than men. However, researchers speculated that women with moderate sleep apnea may have a greater risk of cardiovascular disease and are more likely to have insomnia, both of which can negatively impact cognitive function.
“Estrogen starts to decline as women transition to menopause, which can impact their brains,” noted co-author Galit Levi Dunietz, an associate professor in the University of Michigan Department of Neurology and Division of Sleep Medicine.
“During that time, they are more prone to memory, sleep and mood changes that may lead to cognitive decline,” Dunietz said. “Sleep apnea increases significantly post-menopause yet remains underdiagnosed.”
More research is needed to explore and determine why sleep apnea presents a greater risk for women and dementia, she stressed.
“Our findings offer new insight into the role of a treatable sleep disorder on long-term cognitive health at the population level for both women and men,” noted first author Dr. Tiffany J. Braley, a neurologist and co-founder of the Multidisciplinary MS Fatigue and Sleep Clinic at The University of Michigan Health.
“These potential harms caused by sleep apnea, many of which threaten cognitive performance and decline, highlight the importance of early diagnosis and treatment,” Braley added.
