A new study published in the journal Neurology by the American Academy of Neurology suggests that sleep apnea may enlarge the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for memory and learning.
Experts estimate that around 936 million adults worldwide suffer from sleep apnea, a condition that disrupts breathing and impairs restful sleep.
Previous research has shown that sleep apnea increases the risk of neurological conditions, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, and other forms of dementia.
Researchers recruited approximately 2,600 Latinx participants with an average age of 68. They explained that the Latinx population has a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease compared to other ethnic groups, which known risk factors cannot fully explain.
At the beginning of the study, all participants underwent sleep tests to measure the frequency of apnea episodes during sleep and their blood oxygen levels. Based on these results, participants were divided into three groups.
After ten years, the researchers conducted follow-up brain scans to observe white matter damage in all participants.
The results revealed that participants who experienced significant sleep issues had a hippocampal brain volume that was 0.24 cubic centimeters larger than those without sleep problems.
The study also found a correlation indicating that the hippocampal brain volume increased by 0.006 cubic centimeters for each additional sleep disorder.
They believe that sleep apnea may cause inflammation or damage to the brain’s white matter, resulting in swelling. Thus, they concluded that sleep apnea could contribute to hippocampal enlargement.
Most Commented