Sleep disorders may be more common among women with versus without MS, according to findings published in
Multiple Sclerosis Journal. Tiffany Braley, MD, MS, and colleagues examined data from more than 60,000
women. Women with MS were more likely than women without MS to experience sleep disorders, including
obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, and sleepiness, and sleep disorders identified in 2013 contributed to
thinking problems reported by women with MS in 2017, including memory and the ability to follow instructions
and conversations. Sleep apnea accounted for 34% of the total effect between MS and the ability to follow
instructions. Dr. Braley noted that interventions to delay thinking issues may be most effective in
presymptomatic or early symptomatic stages of disease. “Perceived cognitive decline, even in the absences
of objective changes, could be an important window of opportunity to identify treatable exacerbating factors,
such as sleep disorders,” she said.
