WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A new study, led by Oregon Health & Science University and the Portland VA Health Care System, shows that people with untreated obstructive sleep apnea have a much higher chance of developing Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurological disorder. However, using a consistent continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP machine regularly can greatly reduce that risk.
The study, published in JAMA Neurology, looked at health records from more than 11 million U.S. military veterans treated through the Department of Veterans Affairs between 1999 and 2022.
Even after considering factors like age, obesity, and high blood pressure, the researchers found a strong link that veterans with sleep apnea who didn't use CPAP were almost twice as likely to develop Parkinson's as those who did.
'If you stop breathing and oxygen is not at a normal level, your neurons are probably not functioning at a normal level either,' explained lead author Lee Neilson. 'Add that up night after night, year after year, and it may explain why fixing the problem by using CPAP may build in some resilience against neurodegenerative conditions, including Parkinson's.'
The team noted that although some people find CPAP uncomfortable, many veterans say it has significantly improved their health.
'The veterans who use their CPAP love it,' Neilson said. 'They're telling other people about it. They feel better, they're less tired. Perhaps if others know about this reduction in risk of Parkinson's disease, it will further convince people with sleep apnea to give CPAP a try.'
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