Chuck Bednar for redOrbit.com – @BednarChuck
Poor sleep quality may play an important role in Alzheimer’s disease, as a lack of the deep, restorative sleep through which memories are preserved could cause the beta-amyloid protein associated with the onset of the neurodegenerative condition to begin accumulating.
In the study, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, a team of researchers from the University of California, Berkeley explained that their finding reveals a new pathway through which Alzheimer’s could cause memory decline later on in life.
Excessive amounts of the beta-amyloid process have previously been suggested as playing a key role in the pathology of this form of dementia, and the new research demonstrates that one of the potential causes of this accumulation is something that is treatable.
As Dr. Matthew P. Walker, senior author of the study, a neuroscience and psychology at UC Berkeley and director of their Sleep and Neuroimaging Laboratory, told redOrbit via email, the findings “reveal a new piece in solving the puzzle of Alzheimer’s disease, one that is contributing to memory impairment in later life.”
“We know that sleep, and specifically deep sleep, effectively ‘hits the save button’ on new memories, preventing you from forgetting,” he added. “Our discovery indicates that the toxic protein associated Alzheimer’s disease results in the loss deep sleep, one consequence of which is memory impairment and forgetting in the elderly.”
Emphasizing the importance of good, quality sleep
UC Berkeley neuroscientist and co-lead investigator Dr. Bryce Mander explained that the research suggests that at least part of the reason that the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease causes memory loss that it disrupts the deep sleep rhythms essential for creating a more permanent record of a person’s memories.
“Because of this,” he told redOrbit, “a significant implication of this work is that enhancing deep sleep could lessen the memory decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease pathology, or delay onset into Alzheimer’s disease. This identifies a new target for future treatments for individuals at risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease.”
As the study authors noted, poor sleep can be treated, and sleep quality can be improved through regular exercise, behavioral therapy, and through electrical stimulation that amplifies brain waves during sleep when needed – a technology which has been demonstrated to effectively increase the overnight memory in young adults.
“This discovery offers potential hope,” Dr. Walker said to redOrbit. “Sleep disruption is a potentially treatable target, and we are fast developing new ways to enhance deep sleep. Using these new sleep therapies, soon we may be able to restore quality deep sleep in older adults and even those with dementia, salvaging memory.”
“Sleep is important for your cognitive health, and sleeping poorly could put you at greater risk for cognitive decline and even developing neurodegenerative dementias later in life,” added Dr. Mander. “If you have a sleep problem, tell your physician about it, and seek treatment. If you have a cognitive disorder, make sure you are screened for sleep disorders. Having an untreated sleep disorder may exacerbate the symptoms of your cognitive disorder. Most of all, don’t short-change your sleep, because your brain needs it to stay healthy.”
—–
Follow redOrbit on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram and Pinterest.
Comments