Sleep Apnea Dementia Symptoms

A recent study showed evidence of a link between sleep apnea and early onset dementia. A new study finds that obstructive sleep apnea is tied to brain structure alterations found in early dementia and that low blood oxygen might be a factor.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Osa Happens Because Of The Collapse Of

People who snore and have episodes where they frequently stop breathing while asleep may have reversible memory loss.

Sleep apnea dementia symptoms. Persons with sleep apnea developed mild cognitive impairment about 10 years earlier in life than those without sleep apnea. Vitamin and nutritional deficiencies. People with obstructive sleep apnea showed brain changes that were similar to those of people suffering the early stages of dementia.

But today s findings suggest that sleep disordered breathing leads to a buildup of a key marker for alzheimer s. In a study conducted in taiwan people with sleep apnea were found to have a 1 7 times greater risk of developing dementia. The interruptions can happen 10 or more times an hour and are quite common in older adults exacerbating or sometimes mimicking dementia symptoms.

But they add to evidence that poor sleep may play a role in some older adults mental decline. Many experts believe that sleep apnea is directly correlated to induction of severe dementia and vice versa. Overnight sleep testing determined that the woman had obstructive sleep apnea nightlong interruptions in breathing that reduce oxygen flow to the brain and prevent deep sleep.

Those who reported having sleep apnea or snoring tended to develop signs of mild cognitive impairment including memory lapses and slower speed on cognitive skills about 12 years earlier on. Dementia can contribute to sleeping problems and poor sleep may contribute to dementia. While a causal link has not been established the connection between sleep apnea and dementia is becoming better understood.

Mild cognitive impairment or mci increases your risk of dementia but some people with mci remain quite stable in their functioning sleep apnea was correlated with the presence of alzheimer s at a younger age age 83 compared to age 88 in those without sleep apnea. Experts said the findings don t prove that breathing disorders including sleep apnea lead to dementia. Dementia symptoms vary depending on the cause but common signs and symptoms include.

Even though sleep apnea does not directly cause dementia the effects of sundowning and persistent hypoxic conditions can symptomatically amplify dementia. The link between apnea not breathing hypopnea under breathing and dementia had been identified before with age being the most common explanation because the sleep breathing problems tend to strike older adults. Dementia patients often exhibit the symptoms of sleep apnea such as chronic snoring and or temporary loss of breath during sleep.

On the whole there is still a great deal to be learned about the connections between the different types of dementia and sleep.

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