Analysis of data obtained during long-term studies showed that patients with daytime sleepiness, three times more often detected by accumulation of beta-amyloid protein that is associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Whether sleepiness is one of the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s?
These data were published on 5 September in the prestigious journal SLEEP. Scientists from John Hopkins University (USA) provide a number of indicative findings that drowsiness in the daytime can be one of the signs that a person has a tendency to Alzheimer’s disease. As assured the public, scientists, poor quality of sleep at night contributes to the development of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. As the researchers suggest, normalization of sleep (particularly at night) one of the ways to reduce the risk or prevent the development of this disease.
It is known that factors such as balanced nutrition, physical activity and mental work reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. However, until now nothing was known about sleep and routine. How this factor affects the development of the disease? Our study shows that sleep may be one of the dominant factors affecting the activity of the brain and the development of dementia. And if further studies show that sleep disturbance no doubt contributes to the development of Alzheimer’s disease, the treatment of these disorders will allow us in many cases to prevent the development of this pathology.
Studies of 60 years
The present analysis uses the data of the research conducted since 1958 by the National Institute of Gerontology (NIA National Institute on Aging). The researchers examined the status and performance of thousands of volunteers who have agreed to participate in this study.
Since 1991, the volunteers underwent a standard questionnaire, answering the question, which included the responses Yes or no. Volunteers were asked about whether they feel sleepy in the daytime? Also, researchers were interested in whether the volunteers sleep during the day? Answers to this question were as follows:
- 1-2 times a week;
- 3-5 times a week;
- very rarely or never.
Using the technique of positron emission tomography in volunteers were scanning the brain to identify beta-amyloid inclusions. On average, a brain scan was conducted 16 years after the survey, when the bulk of the volunteer beyond the age of 60 .
Analysis of the brain scans showed that those who experienced daytime sleepiness, 3 times was often detected in beta-amyloid the main factor in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
The complexity of insights
Adam SPIRA, head of the research team, says that it is unknown whether daytime sleep the accumulation of beta-amyloid. We received evidence that people who experience daytime sleepiness, others more prone to the accumulation of beta-amyloid in the brain. However, to establish causal relationship, we can not yet. Perhaps daytime sleepiness is just one symptom of other, deeper processes in the body, which lead to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. If our further studies will show an obvious correlation between bad sleep and Alzheimer’s disease, it will be an occasion for a paradigm shift prevention of the disease, says a scientist.
By the way, the number of patients with Alzheimer’s disease is growing. In the developed world, for example, in the UK, it has become a real economic problem, since the country lack the funds that go into the care of such patients. To solve this problem, the UK Government allocates funds for research that will allow you to establish the true causes of disease. So do other countries. It is noteworthy that in this matter there is some progress. Perhaps in the next 10 years scientists will find a solution to this problem.
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