Can Sleep Problems Contribute to early Alzheimer’s Onset?

The researchers in the Sleep Medicine Center of Washington University may have uncovered a startling finding in one of the most expensive and disparaging degenerative condition in our time, the Alzheimer’s disease.
In the study, researchers discovered a marker of Alzheimer’s disease whose spinal fluid levels tends to rise and fall in accordance with sleep cycle. The marker is a product of amyloid beta, a substance associated with Alzheimer’s. To say, its levels were highest when awake and lowest after a 6-hour continuous sleep. This pattern is strongest in healthy young people and tends to flatten out in older adults. This, experts say, reinforces the assumption that risk for Alzheimer’s disease is aggravated by sleep deprivation and problems.
The methods of study consist of continuous monitoring of individuals ages 18 to 60 years old. Regular spinal taps monitored levels of Alzheimer’s markers in the spinal fluid, and participants’ activities (including sleep) are videotaped for 12 to 36 hours.
Results showed that activities have no correlation with changes in amyloid beta levels, but peaks in sleep and wakefulness do. Scientists speculate that relative inactivity of brain during sleep enables it to process amyloid beta and dump it harmlessly into the spinal fluid, therefore sound sleep is a good opportunity for the brain to destroy the protein before it forms tangles and plaques that cause Alzheimer’s.
“We’ve known for some time that significant sleep deprivation has negative effects on cognitive function comparable to that alcohol intoxication,” said Stephen Duntley, MD, professor of neurology and director of the center.
“But it’s recently become apparent that prolonged sleep disruption and deprivation can actually play an important role in pathological processes that underlie diseases. This connection to Alzheimer’s disease isn’t confirmed yet in humans, but it could be very important.”
The statement refers to problem in older adults, as they tend to sleep less and have fewer periods of sound sleep because of aging. They also tend to have more sleep problems and because the risk of Alzheimer’s disease increases with age, these findings are very significant.
Currently, more studies are being done at the said university to know whether sleep interruptions in young individuals, or whether use of sleeping pills and similar products may play a role in the rise and fall of amyloid beta products in spinal fluid.
In the end, researchers recommend that proper sleep can be enhanced with daily exercise. And though still unproven, they also advise people to have proper sleep hygiene, “…As better sleep may be helpful in reducing Alzheimer’s disease risk,” said Dr. Duntley.
Approximately 5.4 million people have Alzheimer’s disease in US alone and $183 billion are spent annually for it. In addition, millions of caregivers carry a big burden for their care.

Here is the link for the original article:
http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/09/27/sleep-disruption-may-be-tied-to-alzheimers/29809.html