Sleep disruptions could be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers say.
Studying mice models, researchers found that the sleep cycle was disrupted when the early signs of Alzheimer’s plaques appeared in the brain.
Levels of a primary ingredient in the plaque rise and fall with a proper sleeping pattern, but sleep deprivation accelerated the formation of plaques.
Similar results were found in the fluctuation of plaque content in the cerebrospinal fluid in humans.
Scientists are evaluating the likelihood of sleeping problems occurring in patients with early signs of Alzheimer’s disease, such as plaques in the brain, but who do not yet have other cognitive problems.
Dennis Alexander
logged in via LinkedIn
One might hope, as a middle aged mild insomniac, that there remains a question as to the direction of causation:
sleep deprivation> AB > Plaque >Alzheimers vs AB > {sleep deprivation & Plaque} >Alzheimers