# Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea Important in the Development of Alzheimer's Disease

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2021 · $772,473

## Abstract

Project Abstract
Aging is a known risk factor for the development of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), although the underlying
mechanisms are only recently being understood. OSA is associated with Alzheimer’s disease in
epidemiological studies as well as having common genetic links. A number of mechanisms have been
proposed including oxidative stress and amyloid and tau deposition which may contribute to the observed link.
Recent prominent publications have hi-lighted the potential impact of sleep disruption on Alzheimer’s risk. We
have clearly observed impairment in sleep-dependent memory consolidation even with mild OSA and have
developed robust methods to assess these outcomes in a rigorous manner. Recent evidence suggests that
OSA in older individuals may be a somewhat different disease than OSA in younger individuals, based on
relatively unique underlying mechanisms. We have recently published and validated techniques allowing the
assessment of the pathophysiology underlying OSA using minimally invasive methods making disease
endotyping clinically accessible. We have also recently found subgroups of OSA patients who respond well to
oxygen and can be predicted based on the underlying pathophysiology of OSA. We plan to study and further
validate our model by assessing the impact of oxygen therapy in OSA patients who are at risk of developing
Alzheimer’s disease. We have a robust panel of neurocognitive outcomes and have exciting preliminary data
showing reversibility of some of the observed impairment in hippocampal memory. Moreover we are now
working with expert imaging and neuropsychology collaborators who will help us define robust outcome metrics
using MRI and PET scanning (e.g. volumetric analyses, amyloid, tau). Ultimately we hope that this application
will lay the groundwork for a mechanistic comparative effectiveness trial whereby we can compare oxygen with
standard therapy for select OSA patients in an effort to prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Regardless of the results of the proposed work however we will gain major insights into the mechanisms and
optimal care of elderly people with OSA.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10174680
- **Project number:** 5R01AG063925-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Atul Malhotra
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $772,473
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-06-01 → 2025-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10174680

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10174680, Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea Important in the Development of Alzheimer's Disease (5R01AG063925-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10174680. Licensed CC0.

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