Nocturnal sleep apnea/hypopnea is associated with lower memory performance in APOE ε4 carriers

The authors investigated the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea (OSAH) and cognition in 36 older adults, 18 APOE epsilon 4 carriers, and 18 non-carriers. Greater numbers of respiratory events negatively impacted memory function in epsilon 4 carriers only. This is the first study to provide preliminary evidence for a negative interaction of APOE epsilon 4 and OSAH on memory in older adults, which may have important implications for treating cognitive decline and delaying dementia onset.