Relationships between risk of obstructive sleep apnea and outcomes in Parkinson’s disease in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

Project Summary

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic condition causing obstruction of breathing passages during sleep. It is linked to fragmented sleep, reductions in blood oxygenation, daytime sleepiness and many other harmful consequences. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder; sleep disorders are a major issue affecting quality of life in PD. Both OSA and PD increase with age but the relationship between the two has not been well studied to date. We will use data collected as part of the CLSA to study relationships between OSA and PD. Our main objective is to determine if being at high risk for OSA (based on a questionnaire) is associated with more cognitive dysfunction and functional problems (such as walking difficulties and falls), and with greater progression of cognitive and functional decline in PD over a period of 6 years. OSA is a treatable condition, but is often neglected in the context of a neurodegenerative condition.