It was recently reported by US News that South Korean medical researchers have discovererd an alarming link between obstructive sleep apnea and brain deterioration. The study compared two groups of participants: one group consisting of men who suffer from sleep apnea, and the other group consisting of healthy men with normal sleep patterns. When the researchers examined the brains of both groups, they found that the group of men with sleep apnea had lower concentrations of gray matter – the active, healthy parts of the brain.

One of the principal researchers, Dr. Seung Bong Hong, commented on their findings in a new release: “Poor sleep quality and progressive brain damage induced by OSA could be responsible for poor memory, emotional problems, decreased cognitive functioning and increased cardiovascular disturbances. The use of continuous positive airway pressure therapy could stop further progression of brain damage in patients with severe OSA.”

Though it is shocking to see that obstructive sleep apnea can have such a detrimental effect on brain health and overall quality of life, it is good to see that there are ways in which doctors can intervene and prevent such drastic damage. To find out more on OSA, check out this article from WebMD.