Obstructive sleep apnoea, nocturnal hypoxaemia, and cognitive decline in elderly patients

Major neurocognitive disorder (MND) is a clinical disorder with currently no curative treatment. Formerly known as dementia, MND interferes with the independence and daily life of patients, causing an impairment of both daytime functioning and sleep quality, leading to disability and death [1, 2]. There is a strong link between the prevalence of MND and advancing age in what is termed late-onset dementia [3]. In fact, more than 80% of MND occurs in individuals aged 65 years or older [4]. Obstructive sleep apnoea could represent a modifiable risk factor of major neurocognitive disorder in elderly patients