The following is a summary of “Sleep Disordered Breathing and Subsequent Neuroimaging Markers of Brain Health in Hispanic/Latino Adults,” published in the December 2024 issue of Neurology by Ramos et al.
Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a risk factor for stroke and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRDs). Hispanic/Latino adults are at higher risk for both SDB and ADRDs.
Researchers conducted a prospective study assessing the association between SDB and brain MRI measures.
They analyzed data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), which included 2,667 participants (ages 35–85) who underwent neuroimaging approximately 10 years after baseline sleep assessments. The primary exposure was respiratory event index (REI, 3% desaturation), and secondary exposures included oxygen saturation measures. Brain MRI outcomes included total brain, gray matter, white matter hyperintensity (WMH), and hippocampal volumes. Linear regression models were used to determine associations between SDB and brain health.
The results showed that an increased REI was associated with larger hippocampal volumes (bhippocampus = 0.006 [0.001–0.012]). Oxygen levels during sleep were also linked to brain health, with lower minimum oxygen saturation (SpO2%) associated with smaller hippocampal volumes (bhippocampus = −0.013 [−0.021 to −0.004]) and lower mean SpO2 linked to enlarged WMH volumes (bWMH = −0.095 [−0.164 to −0.025]).
They concluded that SDB and lower oxygen levels during sleep are associated with changes in brain health, highlighting the need for further research on sleep and brain aging in middle-aged adults.
Source: neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000210183
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