Elderly Women with Sleep Apnea 85% More Likely to Develop Dementia, Cognitive Impairments

Research out of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston has linked elderly women who have sleep apnea with having an 85 percent higher risk of developing mild cognitive impairment or dementia.

The researchers found that 45 percent of the study participants who had sleep apnea developed cognitive impairments, compared to 31 percent of the participants who did not have sleep apnea. The average age of the women in the study was 82.

Sleep apnea deprives the brain of oxygen, potentially causing damage. Up to 60 percent of elderly people suffer from sleep apnea or another sleep impairment.

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