New study published in the journal JAMA Neurologyrevealed a significant long-term relationship between untreated obstructive sleep apnea and increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
Sleep apnea is characterized by repeated pauses in breathing during the night, which leads to insufficient oxygen supply to the body. Prolonged hypoxia disrupts the functioning of neurons and can contribute to the development of neurodegenerative processes.
Researchers at Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) and the Portland Veterans Health System analyzed medical data from more than 11 million veteranswho were treated from 1999 to 2022.
Even after adjusting for confounding factors—age, obesity, hypertension—the association between untreated apnea and Parkinson’s disease remained extremely high.
Patients who did not use CPAP (apparatus for maintaining constant air flow), had almost twice the risk Parkinson’s development compared with those who complied with therapy.
As lead author of the study, neurologist Lee Neilson, emphasizes, regularly normalizing breathing during sleep can protect the brain from chronic damage: “When breathing stops and oxygen levels drop, neurons stop functioning normally. If this happens every night, for years, the consequences become irreversible.”
Based on the results of the study, CPAP is considered as a potential factor in long-term protection against neurodegenerative diseases.
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