Sleep apnea risk, subjective cognitive decline, and cognitive performance: Findings from the Boston Latino Aging Study (BLAST).

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. These relations are understudied in ethnoracially diverse groups. We examined associations among self-reported OSA risk, SCD, and cognitive performance in community-dwelling older Latinos. High OSA risk was hypothesized to be associated with greater SCD and worse cognitive performance.

Methods: 112 participants (40 female) from the Boston Latino Aging Study (BLAST) were included (Mage=67.0 years [SD=8.0]; Meducation=11.0 years [SD=5.1]). Participants completed the Preclinical Alzheimer's Cognitive Composite-5 (PACC5; z-scores), the Berlin Questionnaire (high vs. low OSA risk), and the Cognitive Function Instrument (SCD). The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) indexed global cognition. Hierarchical regressions assessed associations among OSA risk, SCD, and cognitive performance while controlling for demographics. T-tests examined demographic and cognitive differences between those at high/low OSA risk.

Results: On average, participants had an MMSE score of 25.9 (SD=3.7, range 11-30; 37 participants with MMSE<26) and mild SCD (CFI; M=4.2 [3.6]). OSA risk did not predict SCD (β=.09, p=.33) or PACC5 performance (β=.01, p=.92). No differences in SCD or PACC5 performance were observed between those at low vs. high OSA risk (p's≥.21).

Conclusion: Preliminary findings suggest that self-reported OSA risk may not signal cognitive decline risk for older Latinos. Questionnaires screening for OSA may need to be used in tandem with other assessments to identify those experiencing early cognitive decline. More work with larger sample sizes is needed; BLAST data collection is ongoing.