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Untreated sleep apnea may harm the brain, a new study shows. Middle-aged men with sleep apnea performed worse on tests of cognitive and social function than healthy men.

Researchers compared 27 middle-aged men who had either mild or severe untreated sleep apnea with seven healthy men. Each of the men underwent a sleep study and apnea assessment and took a battery of neuropsychological tests.

The researchers found that the men with sleep apnea had worse cognitive function, including poorer attention, memory, and decision-making capabilities, compared to the healthy men. They also found that sleep apnea impaired the men’s social cognition – the ability to understand and recognize social cues and emotions. Social cognition can be impaired in certain mental health conditions, such as depression, and may be connected to sleep patterns.

Sleep apnea is a common, but serious, sleep disorder characterized by brief moments of paused or shallow breathing. People with sleep apnea are at greater risk of high blood pressure, stroke, abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure, diabetes, weight gain, and heart attacks.

The findings from this small study suggest that sleep apnea impairs cognitive function as early as middle age in men. Larger studies that also include women are needed to confirm the role that sleep apnea plays in cognitive decline. Learn about the role that sleep plays in preventing dementia in this short video featuring Dr. Rhonda Patrick.

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