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Early evidence of excessive sleep time may indicate Alzheimer's disease
Some people only sleep about six hours each night and are still rested and fresh. Then of course there are so-called late risers who sleep at least nine hours a night. Researchers have now found that generally prolonged sleep and a sudden shift in sleep pattern may be an early warning sign of Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers at Boston University Medical Center found in an investigation that more than nine hours of sleep per night may indicate Alzheimer's disease. The experts published the results of their study in the journal "Neurology".
Can long sleep be considered an early indication of Alzheimer's disease? (Image: fotek / fotolia.com) Long sleep times may indicate damage to the brain
If people consistently spend more than nine hours in bed each night, they will be twice as likely to develop dementia over people with normal sleep over the next decade, say the authors of the study. Changing the sleep pattern is a reliable warning sign because the human brain controls activity and sleep patterns. If the pattern of sleep changes and people suddenly sleep much longer on a regular basis, this may indicate that the brain has suffered damage.
Long sleep is a symptom of brain changes
The researchers also found that long sleepers (nine hours sleep or longer) had lower brain volumes, needed longer time to process information, and had signs of memory loss. It is crucial to understand that the inability to get out of bed is a symptom of present brain changes, but not the cause, scientists say. Older people can not protect themselves from dementia by setting their alarm clock earlier, the experts add.
Study examines more than 2,400 subjects
The physicians examined more than 2,400 people over a ten-year period. The participants had an average age of 72 years. The results led to new insights into dementia disorders. The sleep duration can therefore be quite a useful clinical tool, the researchers explain. It may help to determine which individuals are at an increased risk of developing dementia over the next ten years, says the author. Matthew Pase from Boston University Medical Center. If people report long sleep times, this could justify a brain and memory investigation.
Dementia was detected in 234 participants
There have been several other investigators recently, for example, who came to the conclusion that slow speech and the reduction of the sense of smell can also indicate Alzheimer's. In the current investigation, however, subjects were asked how long they usually slept each night. Additionally, they have been medically monitored for more than a decade. During this period, the physicians discovered 234 cases of dementia.
Education protects against Alzheimer's
Sleeping for more than nine hours a night doubles the risk of all types of dementia and specifically Alzheimer's, say the authors. If participants without a high school graduation slept more than new hours, the risk of dementia has even increased sixfold. This indicates that education can protect against the condition, the researchers report.
Further research is needed
Unusual sleep patterns are quite common in people with dementia. The current study suggests that changes in sleep may be clearly visible long before symptoms such as memory loss begin, the authors explain. A better understanding of how human sleep is affected by dementia can help physicians identify people at risk. Previous studies have already shown that people with early dementia often suffer from sleep disruption. This condition is a similar sign of so-called neurodegeneration. However, the results of the current study are based on self-reported information about the subjects' sleep. For this reason, more research should be done on the subject, say the experts. (As)