Could Sleep Apnea Put You at Risk for Alzheimer's?

A study in JAMA Neurology suggests that untreated sleep apnea could increase the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to U.S. News & World Report . The researchers first reviewed brain imagery for indications of beta-amyloid plaque in regions associated with Alzheimer's, as well as signs of neurological activity linked to Alzheimer's. About 75 percent of participants had breathing interruptions while sleeping. Untreated sleep-disordered breathing was associated with more of the early changes in brain structure and activity that elevate the risk of Alzheimer's. "Sleep is thought of as a period of brain recharge," said George Perry at the University of Texas at San Antonio. "And less-effective sleep will lead to reduced amyloid removal and oxygenation. Both of these changes are detrimental to brain metabolism."