Sleep Apnoea and Memory: SAM
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Sleep Apnoea Symptoms and Prevalence in People Attending Memory Services
IRAS ID
340207
Contact name
Sherley John Rajasekaran
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
North Bristol NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 10 months, 30 days
Research summary
Poor sleep can impair memory, thinking, and quality of life. Dementia also affects memory and thinking and people with dementia often do not sleep well. Improving sleep in people affected by dementia might improve their day-to-day function and independence. Sleep apnoea, a sleep-related breathing disorder, may be underdiagnosed in people attending memory clinics.
Sleep apnoea is when your breathing stops and starts whilst you sleep and is a major cause of sleep disruption. It is common in older people, including those affected by dementia, but it is normally not recognised or treated in memory clinics where dementia is usually diagnosed. This may be because people with dementia do not remember their symptoms of sleep apnoea or the symptoms are not as clear cut.
There are effective treatments for sleep apnoea, but they are not often offered to people with dementia. Therefore, we are missing an opportunity to help people with dementia feel better.
We want to improve how sleep apnoea is diagnosed and treated in people affected by dementia.
Aims
We will find out:
1. how many people who attend memory clinics have sleep apnoea?
2. which symptoms reveal someone has sleep apnoea?
3. can memory clinic patients use online questionnaires?
4. does sleep apnoea treatment reduce Alzheimer’s markers in blood?Methods
We will invite 453 people attending memory clinics across England to complete questionnaires and use a watch-like wristband (WatchPAT) overnight to measure sleep apnoea. People who are found to have sleep apnoea, are referred for treatment, and live close to Bristol will be asked if they are willing to have regular blood tests for Alzheimer’s markers to see if they change after sleep apnoea treatment.Outcomes
Based on this study, we will develop a clinical trial to reduce the impact of sleep apnoea on people attending memory clinics.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/NW/0221
Date of REC Opinion
5 Sep 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion