Document Type

Article

Abstract

Dementia has a significant impact on individuals, families, communities, and the economy. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) accounts for 60–80% of dementia cases. The APOE e4 allele is well known as the primary genetic risk factor for AD and dementia. Studies have also shown that sleep apnea increases the risk of dementia. Some research further suggests a possible interaction between sleep apnea and the APOE in dementia development; however, this relationship remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to synthesize evidence from the existing literature and report findings on the relationship between APOE, sleep apnea, and dementia. A systematic search of multiple databases was conducted using selected keywords. Articles were screened and selected according to predefined inclusion criteria. Only original, peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2021 in English were included. Data from the included studies were extracted and summarized descriptively, including information on population characteristics, study design, key findings, and other relevant variables. Of the 328 records identified, 3 studies met inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Their findings suggest a potential interaction between sleep apnea and APOE that may influence dementia risk. This review highlights the need for further research to clarify the role of sleep apnea in the APOE pathway and its contribution to dementia.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.3390/jgg74010004

Rights

© 2026 by the authors. Published by MDPI on behalf of the Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics (SIGG). Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.

APA Citation

Ding, X., Watwood, C., Patel, A., Hegde, K., Mahanna, B., Escudero, L., & Neils-Strunjas, J. (2026). A Review of Interaction Between Sleep Apnea and APOE e4 on the Risk of Dementia. Journal of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 74(1), 4.https://doi.org/10.3390/jgg74010004

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