A new study conducted by Oregon Health and Science University and the Portland Veterans Administration (VA) Health Care System has found that people who have untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can have an increased risk of eventually developing Parkinson’s disease. 

Obstructive sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that occurs when people repeatedly stop and start breathing while they sleep due to the throat muscles relaxing and blocking their airway.  

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the nervous system that worsens over time.  

The study analyzed the health records of 13,737,081 U.S. veterans collected by the Department of Veterans Affairs from 1999 to 2022. The average age of the participants in the study was 60.5 years, with 9.8% being women. 

1,552,505 participants of the study had obstructive sleep apnea. Six years after their original OSA diagnosis, there were 1.6 cases of Parkinson’s disease for every 1,000 individuals with obstructive sleep apnea, compared to those without it. 

What’s more, the study shows that because OSA causes repeated airflow blockages during sleep, it leads to low oxygen levels and briefly interrupted blood flow to the brain and blood vessels. It can also lead to ischemia-reperfusion, which occurs when blood flow is restored after a period of reduced blood supply, leading to cells becoming damaged instead of healing. When this occurs, it causes fragmented sleep and triggers the autonomic centers in the brain, making neurons and blood vessels vulnerable. Similarly, Parkinson’s disease causes neurons to slowly break down and die, affecting neurological function. 

People who are suffering from OSA can improve their sleep quality with early treatment using common treatments for sleep apnea, such as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask or the new Inspire device. Unlike the CPAP mask, the Inspire device works inside the body with a patient’s natural breathing process, using mild stimulation to open the airway during sleep, allowing oxygen to flow naturally. The patient uses a small handheld remote to turn Inspire on before bed and off when they wake up.  could help lower their risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. 

If you would like to get tested for sleep apnea, you can make an appointment at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Sleep Center by calling 718-206-5916. 

To learn more about CPAP or Inspire at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please visit Jamaicahospital.org or call 718-206-7110 to make an appointment with an ENT doctor.   

If you would like to learn more about Parkinson’s disease, you can schedule an appointment with a neurologist at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center. Please call (718) 206-7001. 

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