Good quality sleep is necessary for optimal learning, memory consolidation, spatial orientation, and performing tasks that require attention. During sleep, processes that remove byproducts of brain metabolism (disposing of the toxic materials that accumulate during wakefulness) become more active.

Conditions that affect the quality of our sleep can affect this process.

Obstructive sleep apnea is one of the most common causes of poor quality of nocturnal rest and sleep fragmentation. Studies have linked obstructive sleep apnea with the accumulation of beta-amyloid protein, which is indistinguishable from the amyloid plaques found in patients with Alzheimer’s dementia (a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills).

These plaques contribute to the destruction of neurons (brain cells) and the loss of the vital connection of brain networks. This could be part of the mechanism by which obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s dementia.

Studies support that treating obstructive sleep apnea with CPAP can reverse the damage to white matter observed in severe obstructive sleep apnea.