Nocturnal Hypoxia and Sleep Fragmentation May Drive Neurodegenerative Processes: The Compared Effects of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome and Periodic Limb Movement Disorder on Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers

Abstract

Sleep dysregulation and nocturnal hypoxia present in OSAS patients, more than sleep fragmentation in PLMD patients, were associated with the alteration in CSF and 18F-FDG PET AD biomarkers, namely reduction of CSF Aβ42 levels and cerebral glucose metabolism dysregulation mainly in temporal areas, thus highlighting the possible role of sleep disorders in driving neurodegenerative processes typical of AD pathology.