A recent study has found a surprising connection between sleep-related breathing problems and changes in the brain.

Published in Neurology on December 18, 2024, the research suggests that people with breathing issues during sleep, like snoring or sleep apnea, may have a larger hippocampus.

The hippocampus is a part of the brain important for memory and thinking.

However, these changes are not necessarily a good thing. The study also revealed that lower oxygen levels during sleep could harm other areas of the brain, especially its deep white matter, which tends to show damage as people age.

Sleep-disordered breathing is a term that covers a range of conditions where breathing becomes abnormal during sleep.

The most common and severe type is obstructive sleep apnea, where a person temporarily stops breathing at least five times an hour. These pauses in breathing reduce oxygen levels, potentially affecting brain health.

Previous studies have shown mixed results. Some have linked poor sleep and low oxygen levels to brain shrinkage, while others have found brain growth in specific areas.

Both situations can disrupt normal brain activity, which may lead to problems with memory and thinking, increasing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. This new study focused on Latino adults, who are known to have a higher risk of dementia compared to non-Latino white populations.

The study included 2,667 Latino participants, with an average age of 68. At the beginning of the study, participants took a sleep test at home. This test measured how often they stopped breathing (apneas) or had shallow, slowed breathing (hypopneas).

Based on these results, they were divided into three groups: those with no sleep problems (fewer than five disruptions per hour), those with mild sleep problems (five to 15 disruptions per hour), and those with moderate to severe problems (more than 15 disruptions per hour).

Most participants—56%—had no significant sleep issues, 28% had mild problems, and 16% had moderate to severe sleep problems. Oxygen levels during sleep were also measured.

Ten years later, participants underwent brain scans to measure the size of their brain structures and assess damage in the white matter. White matter hyperintensities, areas where brain tissue has been damaged, were carefully analyzed.

The findings were surprising. Those with the most severe sleep problems had slightly larger hippocampi—an average of 0.24 cubic centimeters more—compared to those with no sleep issues.

Furthermore, for every additional sleep disruption, the hippocampus grew slightly larger by 0.006 cubic centimeters. Lower oxygen levels during sleep were linked not only to larger hippocampi but also to more white matter damage.

Study author Dr. Alberto R. Ramos from the University of Miami explained the significance: “Our findings reveal the complex relationship between sleep health and brain aging. Both brain growth and shrinkage caused by sleep problems can disrupt brain function and increase the risk of dementia.”

This research highlights the need for more studies, especially those starting earlier in life, to fully understand how sleep problems affect the brain over time. Understanding these changes could help doctors identify and treat sleep disorders earlier, potentially reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

One limitation of this study is that it focused only on Latino adults. The results may not apply to other populations. However, it provides a strong foundation for further research into how sleep impacts brain health and aging, particularly for those at higher risk of memory problems.

Early and effective treatment for sleep disorders could be a key step in protecting brain health as people age.

If you care about dementia, please read studies that eating apples and tea could keep dementia at bay, and Olive oil: a daily dose for better brain health.

For more health information, please see recent studies what you eat together may affect your dementia risk, and time-restricted eating: a simple way to fight aging and cancer.

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