Research highlights potential cognitive and symptom improvements in Parkinson’s patients through treatment of obstructive sleep apnea with Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) therapy
A groundbreaking study led by researchers at The Institute provides new evidence that treating obstructive sleep apnea with Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) therapy may improve cognitive function in people with Parkinson’s disease. The findings, published in the journal SLEEP, suggest that PAP therapy of obstructive sleep apnea could play a role in managing neurodegeneration-related manifestations and may even have a neuroprotective effect.
“Parkinson’s disease is a progressive condition with no available treatments to stop or slow cognitive decline,” said Marta Kaminska, MD, a scientist at The Institute and senior author of the study. “Our results suggest that detecting and treating sleep apnea in people with Parkinson’s could be an important strategy in managing this disease.”
The longest clinical trial of its kind
The study, known as the COPE-PAP trial, is a six-month randomized controlled trial (RCT)—the longest of its kind in a neurodegenerative disorder. Conducted in collaboration with the Movement Disorder Clinic at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital and the Jewish General Hospital Neurology Department, the research used the sleep laboratory at the Centre for Innovative Medicine (CIM) at The Institute.
The trial aimed to determine whether PAP therapy, commonly used to treat sleep apnea, could mitigate cognitive decline in people with Parkinson’s disease. Researchers found that participants who adhered to PAP therapy demonstrated improved cognitive function compared to those who did not receive the treatment. Additionally, benefits were observed in other symptoms typically associated with Parkinson’s disease, further highlighting the potential impact of PAP therapy in this population.
“While not all people with Parkinson’s disease may be able to use PAP therapy, our study shows that a significant proportion will adhere to this treatment and derive benefits,” said Dr. Kaminska. “These findings suggest that PAP therapy could have a neuroprotective effect in individuals with both Parkinson’s and obstructive sleep apnea.”
Potential to change clinical practice
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement, cognition, and overall quality of life. While various treatments exist to manage motor symptoms, there are currently no interventions proven to slow or prevent cognitive decline. The results of this study could influence clinical practice by encouraging neurologists to assess and treat sleep apnea in people with Parkinson’s as part of a broader disease management strategy.
“Despite challenges in recruitment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the successful completion of this study represents a significant step forward in understanding the role of sleep-related breathing disturbances in neurodegenerative diseases,” concludes Dr. Kaminska. “The findings may also have implications for other neurological and neurocognitive disorders, though further trials will be needed to confirm PAP therapy’s benefits in other patient populations.”
About the publication
Annie C Lajoie, Anne-Louise Lafontaine, R John Kimoff, Andrea Benedetti, Ann R Robinson, Marie Létourneau, Joelle Crane, Amanda Scanga, Francine Noel, Marta Kaminska, Cognition and obstructive sleep apnea in Parkinson’s disease: randomized controlled trial of positive airway pressure (COPE-PAP trial), Sleep, 2025;, zsaf038.