About a third of American adults are living with obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that robs people of restful sleep and causes subtle damage throughout the body, especially if left untreated. New research out this week seems to show that sleep apnea can harm the brain in unexpected ways.

Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University and others examined the medical records of U.S. veterans. People with obstructive sleep apnea were significantly more likely to later be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, they found. The findings also suggest that treating sleep apnea early with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can lower the odds of developing this neurodegenerative condition.

“Effective screening measures and protocols for consistent adherence to CPAP may have large impa

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