Impaired chemoreflex correlates with decreased c-Fos in respiratory brainstem centers of the streptozotocin-induced Alzheimer's disease rat model.

Besides impairment in cognition and memory, patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) often exhibit marked dysfunction in respiratory control. Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is commonly found in cases of AD, resulting in periods of hypoxia during sleep. Early structural changes in brainstem areas controlling respiratory function may account for SDB in the course of AD.