The Relationship Between Sleep and Alzheimer ’ s Disease

This study is part of a growing body of research that suggests a sleep-deprived brain might be more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease. Animal studies have shown levels of plaque-forming A-beta plummet during sleep. Other research points to the fact that a sleeping brain runs the “clean cycle” (a reference to a dishwasher) to remove the day’s metabolic debris, specifically A-beta plaques. A study done in 2017 found that even one sleepless night appears to leave behind an excess of the troublesome protein fragment. While this is all impressive research, scientists believe there are still plenty of gaps. Basically, there’s not enough evidence yet to know the degree to which sleep might make a difference in the disease, and study results are not consistent. A 2017 analysis of studies found that poor sleepers appeared to have approximately a 68 percent higher risk of Alzheimer’s than those who were rested. But we’re back to the chicken and egg question. What comes first? More research is needed. However, we do know that approximately one-third of American adults are sleep deprived (sleeping fewer than seven hours a night) and the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease is increasing. Certainly, a good night’s sleep could benefit us all.
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Aging Alzheimer's Health-related Mental Health and Wellness Research Sleep Alzheimer's disease Dementia Source Type: blogs