Sleep apnea might cause changes to the brain The sleep disorder is linked to increased aging of white matter and higher volume of the hippocampus These changes might increase risk of dementia, researchers said THURSDAY, Dec. 19, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Sleep apnea is known to wreak havoc with the body, contributing to heart problems, diabetes and liver disease. The also appears to have direct effects on brain health, a new study shows.
People with sleep apnea appear to experience accelerated aging of the brain’s white matter, which serves to connect the various regions of the brain, researchers reported Dec. 18 in the journal . Sleep apnea also is associated with an increase in the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and thinking, researchers said.
“Both brain shrinkage and brain growth can harm memory and thinking by disrupting normal brain functions, increasing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia,” lead researcher , a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist with the University of Miami, said in a news release from the school. People with sleep apnea stop breathing while asleep. This causes their brain to jolt them to wakefulness, at least enough for them to resume breathing.
Over time, untreated sleep apnea can increase a person’s risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease and mood disorders, according to the . But researchers suspected that sleep apnea might do damage to the brain as well, Ramo.