Research Links Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Alzheimer's

Sleep apnea is a common condition in the United States and worldwide. The number of people with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, for which treatment is recommended, is expected to be close to 425 million. About 1 billion adults aged 30-69 years could have the condition worldwide.

What is sleep apnea? If you or a loved one has frequent breathing pauses when sleeping, it may be sleep apnea. These episodes frequently happen throughout the night and typically last 10 seconds or longer. People who have sleep apnea will partially awaken during the night as they fight to breathe, but they won't remember the sleep disruptions the following day.

Too many Americans ignore their signs of sleep apnea or mistake them for snoring, choosing instead to put up with the restless nights. However, several health problems are associated with sleep apnea, and if gone untreated can have devastating health effects. It's important to get a medical professional to diagnose you, using the sleep apnea test result.

Sleep deprivation impairs blood pressure control, memory formation, and weight control. Untreated apnea is associated with an increased risk for practically all major cardiovascular issues, ranging from high blood pressure to heart problems to stroke risks. 

Multiple Health Problems - Including Memory Problems

So, when research shows a connection between Alzheimer's and other dementia with sleep apnea, it gets attention. Past research has shown that untreated sleep apnea has been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease since sleep has been shown to clear up accumulating A-beta deposits. Chronic sleep deprivation may eventually cause the development of Alzheimer's if the A-beta deposits aren't cleared away.

New research from The University of Queensland has discovered a link between obstructive sleep apnea and an increased risk of developing dementia.

Professor Elizabeth Coulson from the Queensland Brain Institute and School of Biomedical Sciences and her team discovered a link between Alzheimer's disease in mice and a lack of oxygen to the brain during sleep.

We found sleep deprivation alone in mice caused only mild cognitive impairment. But we developed a novel way to induce sleep-disrupted breathing and found the mice displayed exacerbated pathological features of Alzheimer's disease.

A CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine, which keeps the airway open while you sleep and allows oxygen to reach your brain, is the current gold standard treatment. However, the lack of oxygen for those not treated properly can be a problem.

It demonstrated that hypoxia – when the brain is deprived of oxygen – caused the same selective degeneration of neurons that characteristically die in dementia. We couldn't fit CPAP to mice, but we experimentally prevented the hypoxia, and this stopped the cognitive impairment and neuron death and also reduced the Alzheimer's pathology.

Professor Coulson said the findings could change how dementia clinicians diagnose and treat their patients.

Thirty percent of people with obstructive sleep apnea being fitted for CPAP machines already display signs of dementia-like cognitive impairment.

Professor Coulson says that the hospital system isn't referring those people to dementia clinics.

I would strongly recommend anyone with obstructive sleep apnea use a CPAP machine to maintain cognitive function, as well as assist with other health issues.

Alzheimer's Effects Millions of Americans

The Alzheimer's Association estimates that 6.5 million Americans aged 65 and over are coping with Alzheimer's at the moment. Dr. James B. Leverenz is a neurologist affiliated with Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Leverenz says Alzheimer's is the primary type of dementia that older adults will face.

Alzheimer's is one of the causes of dementia primarily in the elderly. Many people think of them being equivalent, in fact, there are many different causes of dementia in the elderly, but certainly, the most common cause is Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's and other dementia are leading reasons people require long-term health care, including supervision. Alzheimer's disease severely affects a person's memory, thinking, and organizing skills, making it difficult for them to carry out simple daily activities. These symptoms will require an individual to need long-term health care.

No Current Cure or Treatment for Alzheimer's

There is no cure or way to stop the disease. Dr. Leverenz noted that research is still being done to change this. Or, at the very least, halting the illness in its tracks earlier. He claimed that by doing so, individuals could contribute to preventing the onset of some symptoms.

Numerous therapies are now in use for treatment, and promising new ones are in the works.

Probably the area for treatments that are actually trying to treat the disease itself – the thing that we're most excited about right now are treating the amyloid plaques.

Regarding prevention, Dr. Leverenz said there is only so much a person can control. However, he suggests living a healthier lifestyle with a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and staying social.

Research Looking to Detect Dementia Early

Researchers are trying to identify earlier signs of Alzheimer's. The early discovery not only allows patients to alter their lifestyles but also gives researchers and medical professionals more chances to observe patients during less stressful stages of the illness. Even some researchers think that the fact that the disease is frequently detected at a later stage contributes to the frequent failure of clinical drug trials.

Treating sleep apnea can be one way to reduce the risk of dementia. However, Alzheimer's is not the only concern. There are profound health implications with sleep apnea, including increased cardiovascular disease, stroke, metabolic disease, excessive daytime sleepiness, workplace errors, traffic accidents, and death.

Severity of Sleep Apnea Determines Treatment

Depending on how severe your sleep apnea is, you may or may not need treatment if you have symptoms like tiredness and other health issues. For instance, your doctor could decide to treat even moderate sleep apnea if you have heart disease risk factors. However, if your sleep apnea is severe, your doctor may urge that you receive treatment even if you don't feel tired.

There are several ways to treat sleep apnea other than a CPAP. It starts by getting a sleep study. This multi-part sleep study sends and records specific physical activities while you sleep. An experienced sleep specialist reviews the recordings to determine whether you have sleep apnea or another sort of sleep problem. 

Don't ignore the problem; since sleep apnea can start when you are young, it is important to get diagnosed and treated immediately to avoid the many health issues involved with untreated sleep apnea. Too many Americans ignore their signs of sleep apnea or mistake them for snoring, choosing instead to put up with the restless nights. However, several health problems are associated with sleep apnea, and if gone untreated can have devastating health effects. Getting a medical professional to diagnose you using the sleep apnea test result is important.

How to Interpret Your Sleep Apnea Test Results (sleepingtest.com)