Mild behavioral impairment is associated with sleep apnea, insomnia and brain white matter hyperintensity burden

Mild behavioral impairment (MBI) is a neurobehavioral syndrome associated with increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders. White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are brain lesions associated with cerebrovascular insult and contribute to cognitive decline across the cognitive spectrum (normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia). Sleep disturbance is common among older adults with cognitive impairment and like MBI, is a modifiable AD risk factor that can affect brain structure including WMH. We sought to examine the prevalence of MBI and its relationship with sleep and WMH in a community cohort of older adults.