Sleep disorder linked with brain changes found in dementia
Sydney, July 5: A sleep disorder that causes repeated shallow or paused breathing may be associated with changes in brain structure that are also seen in the early stages of dementia.
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), common among elderly, is a condition where the walls of the throat relax and narrow during sleep, stopping breathing, and is known to reduce levels of oxygen in the blood. It has also been linked with heart diseases, strokes and cancer.
The new study suggested that the drop in oxygen may be linked to a shrinking of the brain's temporal lobes and a corresponding decline in memory.
"Between 30 and 50 per cent of the risk for dementia is due to modifiable factors, such as depression, high blood pressure, obesity and smoking. In recent years, researchers have recognized that various sleep disturbances are also risk factors for dementia," said lead author, Sharon Naismith, from the University of Sydney, Australia.
"We wanted to look specifically at obstructive sleep apnoea and its effects on the brain and cognitive abilities," Naismith added.
In the study, published in European Respiratory Journal, the researchers analysed data from nearly 100 participants aged between 51 and 88 years, who had visited doctors with concerns over their memory or mood but had no OSA diagnosis.
The results showed that patients who had low levels of oxygen in their blood while they were sleeping tended to have reduced thickness in the left and right temporal lobes of the brain -- regions known to be important in memory and affected dementia.
Further, the team found that this alteration in the brain was linked with participant's poorer ability to learn new information.
"There is no cure for dementia so early intervention is the key. On the other hand, we do have an effective treatment for OSA. This research shows that diagnosing and treating OSA could be an opportunity to prevent cognitive decline before it's too late," Naismith added.
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Three company directors held in Rs 100-crore investment fraud in Kochi
Kochi (Kerala) (PTI): Police on Sunday arrested three directors of a firm accused of cheating hundreds of investors of over Rs 100 crore through a fake investment scheme linked to agricultural tourism here, officials said.
The accused were identified as Muraleedharan, Ashik Murali and Akhil Murali, all natives of Thrissur.
The arrests were made by the Kalamassery police in connection with a fraud involving ATCOS (Agri Tourism Cooperative Society), a firm headquartered at Pathadipalam here.
Police said the company had promised high returns by collecting investments from the public in the agricultural tourism sector, but allegedly cheated hundreds of people and fled with the money.
ATCOS was registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act and operated 13 branches across various districts in Kerala, besides a branch in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, officials said.
When investors failed to receive their promised returns or the invested amount, complaints were filed with the police.
Officials said around 54 cases have been registered against the firm in 32 police stations across the state, including 29 cases at the Kalamassery police station alone.
Following instructions from Kochi City Police Commissioner K S Mahesh Kumar, a special investigation team was formed under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Shehensha and Thrikkakara ACP Manoj Kumar.
The team traced the accused to an apartment in Amala Nagar in Thrissur, where they had been hiding after secretly renting the flat, officials said.
The bank accounts of the accused have been frozen, and steps have been initiated to trace their assets, officials said.
Police also conducted a raid at the company’s office at Pathadipalam and seized several documents related to the case.
The accused were produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kalamassery, which remanded them to judicial custody and sent them to Kakkanad jail.
Police said they would seek the custody of the accused for further interrogation as the investigation continues.
