Sleep Apnea and Dementia: New Link Discovered

This new study by the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference shows signs that sleep apnea is a contributor of dementia. The study also shows that any sleep-disordered breathing may fast-track the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The connection between hypopnea (under-breathing), apnea (not breathing), and dementia had already been identified in the past. Age was the most common rationalization. This is because sleep breathing issues often hit older adults. On the other hand, these discoveries show how sleep-disordered breathing leads to an accumulation of key markers for Alzheimer’s disease.