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Permalink Reply by Mike on March 4, 2010 at 12:41pm

one upshot of this finding is that it might make sense to talk to a neurologist about getting an MRI or some test to determine whether you've had one of these silent strokes. question is, if you have that information, what do you do with it?

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on March 4, 2010 at 12:54pm

Dr. Meuller sounds like an interesting guy.

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Permalink Reply by Steven Y. Park, MD on March 4, 2010 at 12:59pm

Not surprising. Did he give a reference?

Numerous studies have shown multiple areas of brain damage or low neuron density in sleep apnea patients, particularly in the areas that control breathing, autonomic function, memory, and executive function. Chronic hypoxia in mice was shown to produce plaques in brain tissues. These studies go on and on. We also know that Alzheimer's is liked to heart disease. And heart disease is linked to obstructive sleep apnea.

For example, a recent study showed that thickened carotid arteries is associated with central sleep apnea. Their explanation was that the plaques cause abnormalities in the chemo/baro receptors in the carotids. Could it be that sleep apnea causes narrowed carotid arteries that causes microscopic strokes in the areas that control breathing? Sleep apnea also causes increased inflammation and blood thickening, which makes it much more susceptible to clot in low-flow areas or small vessels. This occurs not only in the brain, but also in the rest of the body.

This is why sometimes sleep apnea treatment can take care of cognitive problems, but sometimes it doesn't. If you have mild or temporary brain damage, the treatment will help. But if there's been permanent or long-term damage, it's less likely that sleep apnea treatment will help.

Sleep researchers have known this for years, but for some reason, they don't seem to communicate these findings with Alzheimer's researchers. As long as we're convinced that Alzheimer's is a genetic or biochemical problem, there won't be any significant progress.

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Permalink Reply by Mary Z on March 4, 2010 at 1:18pm

I had a bad nervous breakdown in 2005, was so nonfunctional I thought I had a stroke. Carotid arteries were clear as was MRI. In 2009 after showing some symptoms of early dememtia (age 56) I was started on Aricept with significant improvement. I had started on CPAP in April, 2008. Neuropsych testing in 2005 showed multiple neurological defiencies. It's very hard to separate these symptoms/conditions. I guess we'll never know what if any influence non symptomatic, untreated sleep apnea had on my health, or in fact if I had sleep apnea before 2008. I also have lifelong depression., diagnosed bipolar in 2005.
The waters can get very muddy. I still take Aricept, mood stabilizers, antianxiety med, and do CPAP and believe I'm ever so slowly improving.
No MRI has ever shown anything unusual, EEG was normal. As I said, very muddy waters.
Mary Z.

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Permalink Reply by Mike on March 4, 2010 at 1:18pm

He might have put a reference on the materials he handed out at the meeting, which are posted to www.ManhattanAwake.org under Past NYC AWAKE Meetings

Steven Y. Park, MD said:

Not surprising. Did he give a reference?

Numerous studies have shown multiple areas of brain damage or low neuron density in sleep apnea patients, particularly in the areas that control breathing, autonomic function, memory, and executive function. Chronic hypoxia in mice was shown to produce plaques in brain tissues. These studies go on and on. We also know that Alzheimer's is liked to heart disease. And heart disease is linked to obstructive sleep apnea.

For example, a recent study showed that thickened carotid arteries is associated with central sleep apnea. Their explanation was that the plaques cause abnormalities in the chemo/baro receptors in the carotids. Could it be that sleep apnea causes narrowed carotid arteries that causes microscopic strokes in the areas that control breathing? Sleep apnea also causes increased inflammation and blood thickening, which makes it much more susceptible to clot in low-flow areas or small vessels. This occurs not only in the brain, but also in the rest of the body.

This is why sometimes sleep apnea treatment can take care of cognitive problems, but sometimes it doesn't. If you have mild or temporary brain damage, the treatment will help. But if there's been permanent or long-term damage, it's less likely that sleep apnea treatment will help.

Sleep researchers have known this for years, but for some reason, they don't seem to communicate these findings with Alzheimer's researchers. As long as we're convinced that Alzheimer's is a genetic or biochemical problem, there won't be any significant progress.

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