New study finds a link between sleep apnea and increased risk of dementia

A new study by Monash University has found that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been linked to an increased risk of dementia.

The study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, and led by Dr Melinda Jackson from the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, found that severe OSA is linked to an increase in a protein, called beta-amyloid, that builds up on the walls of the arteries in the brain and increases the risk of dementia.

The study involved 34 individuals with recently diagnosed untreated OSA and 12 individuals who were asymptomatic for sleep disorders. It explored associations between brain amyloid burden using a PET brain scan, and measures of sleep, demographics and mood.

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Read the full paper in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease Volume (78) Issue (2) titled: Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea is associated with higher amyloid burden. A preliminary PET imaging study.

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-200571

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