Snoring at night might not just disrupt a partner or pets; it could also impact memory function and dementia risk.
A new study in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association examined the link between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), memory, and dementia risk. Researchers used cognition testing on adults aged 40 to 77 to compare people with and without the sleep disorder.
Those with untreated OSA had worse cognition and memory function. They also had an increased dementia risk.
If the sleep apnea was treated, however, that changed. Adults who managed their apnea had brain testing results on par with adults without it.
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the airway partially collapses or narrows during sleep, causing snoring and affecting breathing. Doctors have long suspected it may be a factor in the development of dementia. OSA disrupts oxygen flow and interrupts sleep cycles, which can affect brain function.
People with obstructive sleep apnea often have other risk factors for dementia, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. As a result, it can be challenging to know which factor contributes most to memory and thinking skills.
The study helped to answer that by controlling for these other risk factors. Even outside other risks, OSA was still linked to lower cognition and increased dementia risk.
Researchers also looked at how the APOE ε4 allele, a gene known to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s, affected dementia risk with obstructive sleep apnea. People who had OSA had a higher risk of dementia than people who had the gene but no OSA.
“Sleep apnea is common, frequently undiagnosed, and highly treatable, yet it is not often considered in discussions about dementia risk,” said lead author Gabriel Abdelmessih, a doctoral student in clinical neuropsychology at Monash University in Australia.
“Our findings suggest that identifying and managing sleep apnea in midlife may represent an important opportunity to support long-term brain health,” he added in a news release.
Treatment options for OSA include using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device at night, weight loss, lifestyle changes, or custom oral devices.
OSA can be diagnosed through a sleep study.
Research shows that Black adults — particularly Black men — experience a disproportionate burden of sleep apnea compared with some other racial groups. Hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease — risk factors that also disproportionately affect Black communities — frequently overlap with OSA risk. Untreated OSA may contribute to vascular stress, inflammation, and impaired oxygen delivery, all of which are relevant to brain health.
Sleep complaints should not be viewed in isolation. For patients at higher cardiometabolic risk, screening for sleep apnea may be a critical component of dementia risk reduction.
Many patients don’t present with the “typical” complaint of excessive daytime sleepiness. There are other signs that could indicate OSA, such as:
Cognitive concerns in older adults may prompt dementia evaluation, but untreated sleep apnea can sometimes contribute to or worsen these symptoms.
Sleep apnea diagnosis often requires access to sleep specialists, testing, and treatment devices. Barriers may include insurance limitations, transportation challenges, lack of awareness, and mistrust of healthcare systems.
Addressing sleep apnea disparities may require more than identifying patients at risk — it requires ensuring patients can access diagnosis and effective treatment.
Sleep apnea is increasingly recognized as a condition with consequences that go beyond sleep quality. For Black patients who already face elevated risks for cardiovascular disease and dementia, earlier recognition and treatment may be an important step toward improving long-term brain health outcomes. During patient visits, clinicians should ask about sleep quality to identify any issues and refer out to a pulmonologist or sleep specialist when necessary.
More information
To find out more information about brain health and dementia risk, visit the Alzheimer’s Society.
SOURCE: Monash University, news release, June 30, 2026
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