A new study suggests that people with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) may be more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at younger ages than those without the condition.
Richard Osorio, MD, and his colleagues found that people with SDB were diagnosed with MCI about 10 years or more sooner than those who didn’t have SDB. For example, heavy snorers and those with sleep apnea who developed MCI developed it when they were around 77, while those without SDB didn’t develop MCI until they were around 90, Osorio told HealthDay. Among people who developed Alzheimer’s disease, those with SDB developed it when they were about 83, compared with age 88 for those without SDB, he said.
However, people with sleep apnea treated with CPAP who developed MCI developed it about 10 years later than those whose SDB wasn’t treated – 82 vs. 72 years.
