Veterans Health

A peer‑reviewed OHSU‑led study of more than 11 million U.S. veterans, published in JAMA Neurology, finds untreated obstructive sleep apnea is associated with nearly double the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease over about five years. Early CPAP therapy within two years of diagnosis was linked to about a 30% lower risk — roughly 2.3 fewer Parkinson’s cases per 1,000 people (about one case averted per 439 treated) — and fewer falls, fractures and lower mortality among those who developed Parkinson’s. Researchers used VA records from 1999–2022 and adjusted for age, sex, race, smoking and other health factors, while stressing the observational design shows association, not causation.