Sleep Apnea Linked to Memory Loss in Elderly

Older people who have sleep apnea, which can be marked by heavy snoring, tend to begin experiencing cognitive decline about ten years earlier than those without the disorder, or those who use a breathing machine to treat their apnea, according to a new U.S. study.

Among older people who developed mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease, those with untreated obstructed sleep breathing began to experience mental loss at an average age of 77, compared to age 90 for those without breathing problems, the study team found.

“We didn’t’ find that snoring causes dementia,” said lead author Dr . . .