Recent Blog Articles

Pouring from an empty cup? Three ways to refill emotionally

Give praise to the elbow: A bending, twisting marvel

Sneezy and dopey? Seasonal allergies and your brain

The FDA relaxes restrictions on blood donation

Apps to accelerometers: Can technology improve mental health in older adults?

Swimming and skin: What to know if a child has eczema

A muscle-building obsession in boys: What to know and do

Natural disasters strike everywhere: Ways to help protect your health

Dementia: Coping with common, sometimes distressing behaviors

Screening tests may save lives — so when is it time to stop?
Mind & Mood
Sleep apnea increases dementia risk in older women
More than half of adults ages 65 and over have sleep apnea, a disorder characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing during sleep. Chronic sleep apnea is associated with many health risks, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. It's also been linked to deficiencies in memory and attention in children and middle-aged adults, but studies of older adults have produced conflicting results. Now, a well-designed study has concluded that older women with sleep apnea are more likely to develop cognitive problems and dementia. The findings were published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (Aug. 10, 2011).
The study. At the start of the study, 298 healthy women, average age 82, completed tests of cognitive function and underwent overnight sleep testing that monitored changes in respiration, heart rate, blood oxygen levels, brain activity, and other measures. Sleep apnea was defined as 15 or more "sleep-disordered breathing events" — pauses in breathing or shallow breathing — per hour. Five years later, the women were given further cognitive tests.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!