Ted Turner is a media mogul and philanthropist.

Taiwan Study finding connection between Sleep Apnea & some cases of Bipolar Disorder

bphope.com

Sleep Apnea Linked With Bipolar Disorder

Recent research has presented a possible link between bipolar disorder and instances of sleep apnea.

May 1, 2017, TAINAN, Taiwan—Sleep apnea, or frequent halts in breathing while asleep, has been linked with bipolar disorder in a new study.

Taiwanese researchers looked at more than 5,000 people with sleep apnea and more than 27,000 people who did not have the condition.

They found that people with sleep apnea were two to three times more likely to get a bipolar disorder diagnosis as compared to people without sleep apnea.

The authors said their findings indicate that health professionals should carefully monitor the psychological health of individuals with sleep apnea.

The study, which appeared in the journal Sleep and Breathing, was entitled “Sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of mood disorders: a population-based cohort study.”

Source: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11325-016-1389-x

Medical Express
(Excerpt)

Poor Sleep & Alzheimer's

Breathing problems during sleep may signal an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease, a trio of studies suggests.

And, the researchers added, treating conditions like sleep apnea and hypopnea (shallow breathing) might lower the risk of dementia, or at least slow its progression.

"What's exciting about these three studies is that they are looking at biological changes in the brain that may underlie a relationship between sleep problems and Alzheimer's disease," said Keith Fargo. He is director of scientific programs and outreach at the Alzheimer's Association.

Fargo cautioned, however, that these studies only show an association between sleep problems and Alzheimer's disease, and not a cause-and-effect link.

But it's possible that the development of the amyloid plaque that is a tell-tale sign of Alzheimer's is causing sleep problems, he noted.

People with sleep apnea should get treatment, Fargo said, because "even if you don't have Alzheimer's disease and will never develop it, sleep apnea itself can cause cognitive [thinking] problems, which can be turned around with treatment."

.  .  . .
Sleep apnea affects three in 10 men and one in five women; it occurs when the upper airway closes partially or fully, causing pauses in breathing during sleep, the researchers explained.

In the study, sleep apnea was associated with increased development of beta-amyloid plaque in the brain.

According to the researchers, sleep problems accelerate the development of amyloid plaque in both people without dementia and in those already suffering from dementia.

.  .  . .
"Since effective treatment measures exist for sleep disturbances, and sleep apnea especially, one way to potentially prevent Alzheimer's disease and/or its progression will be to effectively treat sleep apnea," Bubu said.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-07-poor-boost-odds-alzheimer.html