Simple snoring treatment can also cut dementia risk by more than a third, researchers say

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Simple snoring treatment can also cut dementia risk by more than a third, researchers say

  • US researchers conducted a study to find out if treating heavy snorers meant they were less likely to develop dementia
  • The treatment – continuous positive airway pressure – involves wearing a mask at night connected to a machine that pumps compressed air into the throat
  • The study followed 50,000 patients with sleep apnea and found that those who had the treatment were less likely to develop dementia than those who had not.
  • British experts welcomed the study, but stressed that there is no link between snoring and dementia

By Pat Hagan for the Daily Mail

Published: Updated:

A cheap and simple remedy for snoring could also reduce the risk of dementia by more than a third, researchers have found.

Snorers who had the treatment called continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) seemed to have better protection against the incurable disease.

CPAP involves wearing a mask at night connected to a bedside device that costs around £ 500 and pumps compressed air down your throat.

This prevents soft tissue in the throat from collapsing during sleep.

Scientists think the machines can reduce the risk of dementia by stimulating oxygen supply to the brain.

Up to five million people in the UK, mostly men, snore heavily - a condition called sleep apnea [Stock image]

Up to five million people in the UK, mostly men, snore heavily – a condition called sleep apnea [Stock image]

Up to five million people in the UK, mostly men, snore heavily – a condition called sleep apnea.

It is known to increase blood pressure and the threat of stroke and heart attack. If left untreated, some studies suggest, it also increases the risk of dementia.

American researchers at the University of Michigan wanted to see if treating heavy snorers meant that they were less likely to develop dementia.

They followed 50,000 patients with sleep apnea before 2011.

Among those who developed dementia, they compared patients who did receive CPAP with those who did not.

The results, in the journal Sleep, showed that snorers who occasionally used the device were between 20 and 30 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s or any other form of dementia.

Among those who wore the mask every night, the risk dropped by 35 percent.

Scientists say the results could benefit millions.

The number of victims of Alzheimer’s and dementia is expected to increase from 800,000 to 1.2 million in 2040 in England.

Dr. Galit Levi Dunietz, who led the study, said, “We found a significant association between CPAP and a lower risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. It can be protective for people with sleep apnea. ‘

Dr. Rosa Sancho, from Alzheimer’s Research UK, welcomed the study but stressed that it did not show that severe snoring and disturbed sleep actually caused dementia.

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