Nocturnal sleep apnea/hypopnea is associated with lower memory performance in APOE epsilon4 carriers.

O'Hara, R; Schröder, C M; Kraemer, H C; Kryla, N; Cao, C; Miller, E; Schatzberg, A F; Yesavage, J A et al. · Neurology · 2005

cross_sectional · Level IV

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Abstract

The authors investigated the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea (OSAH) and cognition in 36 older adults, 18 APOE epsilon4 carriers, and 18 non-carriers. Greater numbers of respiratory events negatively impacted memory function in epsilon4 carriers only. This is the first study to provide preliminary evidence for a negative interaction of APOE epsilon4 and OSAH on memory in older adults, which may have important implications for treating cognitive decline and delaying dementia onset.

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