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Sleep Apnea as a Modifiable Risk Factor for Cognitive Decline and Dementia: Implications for Clinical Practice and Public Health
Auda Fares. Journal of Public Health and Primary Care, 2026-05-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Abstract Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a prevalent sleep-disordered breathing condition, is increasingly recognized as a modifiable risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. OSA is characterized by repeated episodes of upper airway obstruction during sleep, leading to chronic intermittent hypoxia, sleep fragmentation, and associated physiological disturbances. This paper reviews the epidemiological evidence linking OSA to cognitive impairment, explores the potential mechanisms underlying this association, and discusses the implications for early diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies aimed at mitigating the adverse cognitive outcomes associated with OSA. Focus is placed on the critical need for proactive screening and management of OSA, particularly in at-risk populations, to preserve cognitive health and reduce the burden of dementia.
Key findings
- This paper reviews the epidemiological evidence linking OSA to cognitive impairment, explores the potential mechanisms underlying this association, and discusses the implications for early diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies aimed at mitigating the adverse cognitive outcomes associated with OSA.
Why it matters
This review describes obstructive sleep apnea as a modifiable risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia and calls for proactive screening and management. It summarizes existing evidence and does not report new trial results showing that treating sleep apnea prevents dementia.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 31/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Public Health and Primary Care) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Journal of Public Health and Primary Care: journal h-index 5 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.5 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.2× 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 | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Auda Fares: h-index 8 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Marien Hospital Wesel: institution h-index 104 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 31 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.4103/jphpc.jphpc_5_26
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Public Health and Primary Care →
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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Fares, A. (2026). Sleep Apnea as a Modifiable Risk Factor for Cognitive Decline and Dementia: Implications for Clinical Practice and Public Health. Journal of Public Health and Primary Care. https://doi.org/10.4103/jphpc.jphpc_5_26
Vancouver
Fares A. Sleep Apnea as a Modifiable Risk Factor for Cognitive Decline and Dementia: Implications for Clinical Practice and Public Health. Journal of Public Health and Primary Care. 2026. doi:10.4103/jphpc.jphpc_5_26.
BibTeX
@article{fares2026-a0a2f96f,
author = {Fares, Auda},
title = {{Sleep Apnea as a Modifiable Risk Factor for Cognitive Decline and Dementia: Implications for Clinical Practice and Public Health}},
journal = {Journal of Public Health and Primary Care},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.4103/jphpc.jphpc_5_26},
url = {https://doi.org/10.4103/jphpc.jphpc_5_26}
}
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