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Obstructive sleep apnoea and risk of dementia: a Danish population-based cohort study
Sigrid Bjerge Gribsholt, Erzsébet Horváth–Puhó, Holly C. Elser, Kristina Laugesen, Nils Skajaa, Cecilia Hvitfeldt Fuglsang, Victor W. Henderson, Henrik Toft Sørensen. BMJ Neurology Open, 2025-07-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
We identified 62 928 patients with OSA and 62 928 in the propensity score-matched comparison cohort (76% male, median age 52 years). The IR for all-cause dementia was 1.27 (95% CI 1.17 to 1.37) per 1000 person-years in patients with OSA and 1.15 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.25) in the propensity score-matched comparison cohort, yielding an HR of 1.10 (95% CI 0.98 to 1.24). The HR for Alzheimer's disease was 1.16 (95% CI 0.94 to 1.43). Among individuals with overweight/obesity, the HR for all-cause dementia was 0.71 (95% CI 0.51 to 0.99), while it was 1.17 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.33) in those without. CPAP treatment attenuated associations. Our findings support a modest association between OSA and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, motivating early clinical detection of OSA as a potentially modifiable risk factor for subsequent dementia. The finding that the dementia hazard was not increased in the setting of overweight or obesity requires further study and points to the need for research on mechanisms underlying the association between OSA and dementia.
Key findings
- We identified 62 928 patients with OSA and 62 928 in the propensity score-matched comparison cohort (76% male, median age 52 years).
- The IR for all-cause dementia was 1.27 (95% CI 1.17 to 1.37) per 1000 person-years in patients with OSA and 1.15 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.25) in the propensity score-matched comparison cohort, yielding an HR of 1.10 (95% CI 0.98 to 1.24).
- The HR for Alzheimer's disease was 1.16 (95% CI 0.94 to 1.43).
- Among individuals with overweight/obesity, the HR for all-cause dementia was 0.71 (95% CI 0.51 to 0.99), while it was 1.17 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.33) in those without.
- Our findings support a modest association between OSA and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, motivating early clinical detection of OSA as a potentially modifiable risk factor for subsequent dementia.
Why it matters
This Danish cohort study found a modest association between obstructive sleep apnoea and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, with CPAP treatment attenuating the associations. It motivates early clinical detection of OSA as a potentially modifiable risk factor for subsequent dementia.
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Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants928
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 56/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (BMJ Neurology Open) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | BMJ Neurology Open: journal h-index 23 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 928 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 6 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 6 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Henrik Toft Sørensen: h-index 147 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Stanford University: institution h-index 2,684 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40766301) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 56 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1136/bmjno-2025-001174
- PubMed: 40766301
- Original source →
- Free full text: BMJ Neurology Open →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Gribsholt, S. B., Horváth–Puhó, E., Elser, H. C., Laugesen, K., Skajaa, N., Fuglsang, C. H., et al. (2025). Obstructive sleep apnoea and risk of dementia: a Danish population-based cohort study. BMJ Neurology Open. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjno-2025-001174
Vancouver
Gribsholt SB, Horváth–Puhó E, Elser HC, Laugesen K, Skajaa N, Fuglsang CH, et al. Obstructive sleep apnoea and risk of dementia: a Danish population-based cohort study. BMJ Neurology Open. 2025. doi:10.1136/bmjno-2025-001174. PMID: 40766301.
BibTeX
@article{gribsholt2025-40766301,
author = {Gribsholt, Sigrid Bjerge and Horváth–Puhó, Erzsébet and Elser, Holly C. and Laugesen, Kristina and Skajaa, Nils and Fuglsang, Cecilia Hvitfeldt and Henderson, Victor W. and Sørensen, Henrik Toft},
title = {{Obstructive sleep apnoea and risk of dementia: a Danish population-based cohort study}},
journal = {BMJ Neurology Open},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1136/bmjno-2025-001174},
pmid = {40766301},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjno-2025-001174}
}
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