Sleep Apnea Linked to Epilepsy in Older Adults

Sleep apnea may increase the risk of late-onset epilepsy, a new study finds. This form of the disease occurs after the age of 60, and about half the time, the cause is unclear.

Looking for answers, researchers reviewed Medicare claims and found seniors with sleep apnea were twice as likely to develop late-onset epilepsy. They also analyzed data from a sleep study that included more than 1300 participants and found that those with oxygen levels that fell below 80% during sleep faced three times the odds.

The authors say these findings suggest repeated exposure to low oxygen levels overnight might cause brain changes related to epilepsy risk. Furthermore, the authors state that more research is needed to determine whether treating sleep apnea may help with prevention.