A new study has revealed that poor sleep quality may 'increase the risk' of developing Alzheimer's.
It was found that lower levels of specific stages of sleep are associated with reduced brain volume, specifically in regions vulnerable to the development of Alzheimer's disease over time.
The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine the official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, on Monday (March 31).
Results of the new research showed that people with lower proportions of time spent in slow wave sleep and rapid eye movement sleep had smaller brain volume in important brain regions, particularly the inferior parietal region of the brain, which is known to be affected by early Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative brain disease and the most common cause of dementia, and according to the Alzheimer's Association, an estimated 6.7 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with the condition. This number is projected to double by 2060, pending medical developments to prevent, slow or cure the disease.
In Scotland, an estimated 90,000 people live with dementia, with around 3,000 of those being under 65 years old, according to Alzheimer Scotland.
According to Sleep Foundation, slow-wave sleep, also called deep sleep, is a stage of sleep that plays an important role in growth, memory, and immune function.
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep is a stage of sleep characterised by fast eye movements, increased brain activity, and muscle paralysis, during which most vivid dreams occur.
The results of the study were adjusted for potential confounding variables including demographic characteristics, smoking history, alcohol use, hypertension, and coronary heart disease.
The study's lead author, Gawon Cho, has a doctorate in public health and is a postdoctoral associate at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut.
Poor sleep
Poor sleep quality was linked to the onset of Alzheimer's in the new study (Image: Peter Dazeley via Getty Images)
Cho said: "Our findings provide preliminary evidence that reduced neuroactivity during sleep may contribute to brain atrophy, thereby potentially increasing the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
"These results are particularly significant because they help characterise how sleep deficiency, a prevalent disturbance among middle-aged and older adults, may relate to Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis and cognitive impairment."
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The new study involved an analysis of data from 270 participants who had a median age of 61 years, of which fifty-three percent were female, and all were white. Individuals who previously had a stroke or probable dementia were excluded from the analysis.
The research utilised polysomnography, a type of sleep study, to assess baseline sleep architecture, and advanced brain imaging techniques were used to measure brain volumes of the participants.
The study has identified an important link between sleep and long-term brain health, highlighting potential opportunities to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, scientists said.
"Sleep architecture may be a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, posing the opportunity to explore interventions to reduce risk or delay Alzheimer's onset," said Cho.
The researchers also explained that further investigation is needed to fully understand the causal relationships between sleep architecture and the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
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