New study Lack of sleep significantly increases the risk of Alzheimer's

Physicians are studying the effects of poor sleep quality on Alzheimer's
When people often sleep too little, the attention, performance and even health of those affected can suffer. Researchers now found that poor sleep can also increase the likelihood of Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that poor sleep in humans increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Neurology".

When people sleep too little, the body suffers. Physicians found that sleep deprivation and poor sleep are related to Alzheimer's disease. (Image: from Lieres / fotolia.com)

Physicians perform spinal fluid tests on more than 100 subjects
The experts from the USA performed so-called spinal fluid tests in a total of 101 persons with a mean age of 63 years. All of these subjects had a family history of Alzheimer's disease or had a gene associated with increased disease risk, the researchers explain.

Bad sleep is associated with elevated biological markers for Alzheimer's
When participants suffered from poorer sleep quality or drowsiness during the day, they had more biological markers for Alzheimer's compared to people without sleep problems, the researchers say.

Physicians are studying the beta amyloid levels of the participants
Researchers looked for signs of beta-amyloid in their study. These protein deposits in the brain are associated with the development of Alzheimer's and the emergence of the so-called Tau-Tangles (protein nodes that are also associated with Alzheimer's disease). Earlier research had already shown that sleep can affect the development or progression of Alzheimer's disease in various ways, explains author Dr. Barbara Bendlin.

Bad sleep leads to the build-up of amyloid plaque
Failed sleep or lack of sleep can lead to build-up of amyloid plaque. The current study examined the spinal fluid not only for amyloid but also for other biological markers, the researchers explain. Not every subject with sleep problems had abnormalities in his spinal fluid. There was also no link between biological markers for Alzheimer's and obstructive sleep apnea, the researchers add. The findings also persisted after considering factors such as the use of medication for sleep problems, educational attainments, depressive symptoms and body mass index (BMI).

Further research is needed
It is still unclear whether sleep can affect the development of the disease or whether the disease affects sleep quality. Further research on this topic is now needed to further define the relationship between sleep and these biomarkers. It is quite possible that an early intervention in sleep problems can prevent or at least delay the onset of the disease, experts say.

A good quality of sleep can protect the brain
Bad sleep seems to be associated with signs of Alzheimer's. On the other hand, good sleep quality can contribute to a healthy brain, say the doctors. Now the question to answer is whether poor sleep is associated with the risk of Alzheimer's or whether people are sleeping badly due to Alzheimer's disease. (As)