Results from a large study carried out in a group of U.S. veterans show untreated obstructive sleep apnea can increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease, but that this risk is mitigated by treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines.

As reported in JAMA Neurology , compared to veterans without sleep apnea, those with the condition had a 10-15% increased risk of developing Parkinson’s after adjusting for potential confounding factors like age, sex, smoking and others.

“It’s not at all a guarantee that you’re going to get Parkinson’s, but it significantly increases the chances,” said co-author Gregory Scott, MD, PhD, assistant professor of pathology in the OHSU School of Medicine and a pathologist for at the VA Portland, in a press statement.

Obstructive sleep apn

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