CPAP Device may Slow Memory Loss in Sleep Apnea Patients

In people with sleep apnea, using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment had a positive effect on slowing cognitive decline, stated study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) //refers to having problems with your memory and decision-making abilities. Usually, people with MCI experience few if any problems with performing their daily activities. Experts say that MCI could be a stage between normal aging and Alzheimer's disease.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea - Overview
Obstructive sleep apnea should be suspected in overweight middle aged adults who snore loudly and which can cause interruption of breathing for 10 seconds or more and this results in reduced blood o

‘Memories, is the first clinical trial to show that using a CPAP machine can significantly improve cognitive function for people with MCI.’

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A growing number of studies suggest that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), or "sleep-disordered breathing," is associated with a higher risk for memory problems and for problems with thinking and making decisions. OSA is a common condition in older adults who have MCI. Symptoms include disturbed sleep due to reduced or momentarily stopped breathing at night.

If your healthcare practitioner diagnoses you with OSA, she may recommend treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), a pressurized mask worn during sleep. CPAP treatment eliminates obstructive sleep apnea. However, to be effective, people must use the CPAP machine regularly for at least four hours per night.

Only 30 to 60 percent of people who are prescribed CPAP therapy use the machine regularly as prescribed. Additionally, few studies have confirmed whether or not CPAP treatment delays cognitive decline.

Quiz on Memory Loss

“Without memory, there is no culture. Without memory, there would be no civilization, no society, no future.” - Elie Wiesel

Whether it is a short term memory loss just as Dory in 'Finding Nemo' had or a more permanent one because of neurodegenerative diseases, it can adversely affect one's quality of life. Take this quiz to know more about interesting facts on memory loss / amnesia.

Researchers enrolled 68 participants with MCI, aged 55 to 89, who were patients at sleep and geriatric clinics from September 2012 through December 2014. Some of the participants used CPAP machines while others did not.

Researchers reported that participants who had MCI and who used the CPAP machine experienced cognitive improvement. The participants also experienced significantly less daytime sleepiness and improved attention levels.

Rates of Respiratory, Survival Improved In Children With CPAP
Researchers found that Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can improve respiratory rate and survival in children with primary pulmonary diseases.

What's more, said the researchers, the group who had MCI but didn't use the CPAP machine experienced significant cognitive decline.

A Maskless and Hoseless Micro-CPAP Called Airing For People With Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Airing is about the size of a Bluetooth device that inserts into a pair of nostrils and keeps the nasal passages wide open during sleep

Source-Eurekalert