New Study Confirms Sleep Apnea-Dementia Connection

On this blog, we have long been warning about the link between sleep apnea and dementia, including the fact that 70-80% of dementia sufferers have sleep apnea as well, and that treating sleep apnea often helps improve the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Now a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association confirms that connection. Using a larger (but also significantly older) study population than previous studies, this new report shows that sleep apnea may double your risk of dementia.

This study looked at nearly 300 women with a mean age of 82, and looked at the presence of dementia in the two sub-populations of women with sleep-disordered breathing and women without sleep disordered breathing. Overall, any form of sleep-disordered breathing increased the risk of dementia or other cognitive impairment by about 85%. Further, more than 15 apneic or hypopneic events per hour were associated with a 70% increase in the risk of cognitive impairment or dementia, and people who spent more than 7% of their sleep time in apnea or hypopnea had more than double the risk of suffering from dementia.

Sleep apnea treatment that is comfortable and effective is essential for patients of all ages, from children to the elderly. If you or a relative is suffering from sleep apnea, it is crucial that you learn about your treatment options today.

To learn about all your sleep apnea treatment options, please contact a sleep dentist today.

Sleep Apnea Can Masquerade as Dementia

As we age, many of us fear losing our mental faculties. Dementia can make us forget our loved ones, have paranoia, lose the ability to distinguish between present and past, or lose the ability to focus or concentrate. However, many people who experience pronounced dementia symptoms may find that their symptoms are due either in whole or in part to obstructive sleep apnea rather than dementia.

Seniors with cognitive problems often experience significantly increased quality of life once they start getting treatment for their sleep apnea. According to researchers in the field, nearly half of all older adults have sleep apnea, and the proportion is even higher among adults that manifest the symptoms of dementia.

The prevalence of sleep apnea in this population is due to a number of factors, including both an increasing tendency to be overweight as well as the weakening of muscles and tissues whose rigidity previously held open the airway at night. The condition is so common among older adults that it may be in large part responsible for the misconception that older adults are supposed to be sleepy during the day.

One of the problems with treating an apneic elderly population experiencing symptoms of dementia is that many do not comply with the typical treatment regimen of CPAP. Although many seniors were able to use CPAP, they did not use it for the recommended time overnight, and others simply cannot use it enough to get the full benefit. This makes it important that seniors consider all possible sleep apnea treatment options.

Furthermore, doctors recommend that "Any time there are symptoms of dementia, you should think about sleep apnea and discuss it with your doctor."

If you or a loved one suffers from dementia and you would like to talk to a local sleep dentist about sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment, please contact IHATECPAP today.