Posted on 5/28/2018
Obstructive sleep apnea affects about 10% of adults, reports the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Nursing. Untreated, it can have a negative impact on the neurological system. For women, these impacts can be more severe. For example, the school says that while men are more likely to have sleep apnea, women with sleep apnea have a higher degree of brain injury.
“Because women report different symptoms, they tend to be misdiagnosed,” said Paul Macey, PhD, professor at the school. “Early detection and treatment is the best way to protect against damage to the brain and other organs.”
Researchers at the school examined the medical records and brain scans of 12 women and 36 men who were diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea an...