Sleep-Disordered Breathing Linked to Larger Hippocampal Volume

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 18, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with larger hippocampal volumes, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in Neurology.

Alberto R. Ramos, M.D., from the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami, and colleagues examined the association between SDB and brain magnetic resonance imaging measures in a Hispanic/Latino population. Participants underwent one night of unsupervised home testing with a sleep apnea device at baseline and then underwent neuroimaging about 10 years after baseline sleep assessment. The main exposure was respiratory event index (REI; 3 percent desaturation); encompassed measures of oxygen saturation were secondary exposures.

The researchers observed an association for increased REI with larger hippocampal volumes. Consistent results were seen with oxygen levels (minimum peripheral oxygen saturation percent) during sleep. There was an association seen for lower oxygen levels (mean peripheral oxygen saturation) with enlarged white matter hyperintensity volumes.

“A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying brain volumes in SDB is needed for informing effective management strategies, advocating for early intervention, more so in at-risk populations such as Hispanic/Latino adults,” the authors write.

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