Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) as a potentially modifiable risk factor for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI): A role for old age psychology?

It is estimated that just under a third of people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) also have obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA; a form of sleep disordered breathing distinguished by repeated upper airway collapse during sleep), and disordered sleep is a potential risk factor for dementia. In this paper, we consider the potential role for the old age psychologist in (1) identifying OSA for onward referral and treatment, (2) assessing neurocognitive profiles in people with comorbid OSA and cognitive decline, (3) providing behavioural interventions to improve OSA treatment adherence, and (4) providing health psychology (lifestyle change) interventions relevant to both MCI and OSA.