Higher OSA risk linked to poorer memory and slower processing in older Canadians
In a cross-sectional Canadian study of 946 older adults, higher obstructive sleep apnea risk was associated with memory problems and slower cognitive processing, while insomnia was not. Causality cannot be inferred. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The cross-sectional study included 946 older Canadians: 473 with a physician-diagnosed memory problem and 473 matched controls. [1]
Participants with memory problems had higher STOP-BA(N)G scores and slower Choice Reaction Times than controls. [1]
Insomnia alone or with OSA was not associated with cognitive outcomes, and causality cannot be inferred from the cross-sectional design. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Cross-sectional study (abstract)
- Population / context
- Community-dwelling older Canadians: 473 with a physician-diagnosed memory problem and 473 age- and sex-matched controls.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- August 31, 2026
OSA risk versus insomnia in older Canadians
The study asked whether the physiological burden of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or the sleep fragmentation of insomnia better predicted cognitive problems among community-dwelling older Canadians. Data came from 946 participants in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging: 473 reporting a physician-diagnosed memory problem and 473 age- and sex-matched controls. OSA risk was assessed with the STOP-BA(N)G questionnaire, insomnia with research criteria based on sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset and duration, and processing speed with Choice Reaction Time. Because the design was cross-sectional, the study evaluated associations, not causal relationships.
Supporting source [1]
Higher STOP-BA(N)G scores and slower reactions with memory problems
Participants with memory problems had significantly higher STOP-BA(N)G scores and slower Choice Reaction Times than controls. Insomnia alone or together with OSA (COMISA) was not associated with the cognitive outcomes. In discriminant analysis, STOP-BA(N)G score and diabetes were the strongest predictors of memory problems, correctly classifying 66.6% of cases. The association between higher STOP-BA(N)G scores and memory problems remained significant in both men and women, though effect sizes were somewhat larger in men. Models controlled for age, sex, body mass index, income and diabetes.
Supporting source [1]
Cross-sectional design limits causal conclusions
The authors conclude that higher OSA risk was associated with poorer memory and slower cognitive processing in older adults, whereas insomnia was not associated with these outcomes. Because of the cross-sectional design, causality cannot be inferred. The authors suggest that screening for OSA and metabolic comorbidities in patients with memory complaints may help identify individuals at increased risk of cognitive impairment. This is an abstract; the full text was not reviewed.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. The cross-sectional design allows associations but not causal inference, and the findings concern older Canadians in this cohort.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Rizzo D, Baltzan M, Abu-Farha M, Alterki A, Abubaker J, Al-Mulla F, Elsaraj SM. · europepmc.org · August 31, 2026