In this revised manuscript, we review the literature regarding connections between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), depression, and cognitive impairment or dementia in the older adult population. We synthesize the evidence and present a theoretical model describing how OSA leads to disturbances in microvascular and neurovascular function, which in turn leads to hypoperfusion, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, and neuroinflammation, as well as other pathophysiological mechanisms, that disrupt neuronal activity in regions of the brain regulating emotion and cognition. We finally suggest that clinicians be aware when assessing patients, as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment for OSA has been shown to improve depressive symptoms and
