Could priorities state that deep sleep is the key to protect your brain? Scientists discover how sleep disorders can speed up neurodegeneration – and why improving sleep can help slow cognitive decline.
Judgement: The Night’s Watch: Investments how sleep protects against neurodegeneration. Image Credit: Metamorworks / Shutterstock
Can better sleep prevent or delay neurodegenerative diseases? Millions of suffering from dementia worldwide, but the relationship between sleep disorders and cognitive decline remains complex.
Published in a recent review in the magazine NeuronHave scientists from Washington University investigated whether disturbed sleep contributes to neurodegeneration, serves as an early symptom, or both. By understanding the protective mechanisms of sleep, they wanted to discover ways to improve the health and resilience of the brain.
Sleeping and brain health
Sleep restores brain function, consolidates memory and removes toxic waste. As people get older, the sleep duration shortens, however, sleep is more fragmented and reduces deep sleep – changes linked to cognitive decline and an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
Disruptions in non-rapid eye movement (NREM) Sleep, in particular Slow-Wave Sleep (SWS), are associated with early amyloid-beta (AP) plaque structure and tau egg wanes, characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease. Other neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s, Lewy Body Dementia and Frontotemporal dementia, often present with sleep disorders years before cognitive symptoms appear.
Despite these associations, or sleep disturbances, stimulate neurodegeneration, reflect an early pathology or both remain uncertain. Insight into the role of sleep in the health of the brain can lead to early interventions to postpone or reduce neurodegenerative diseases.
The current study
The researchers investigated how sleep disturbances can contribute to cognitive decline, analyzing sleep patterns, brain activity and molecular markers in both human and animal models.
They investigated sleep architecture – especially changes in NREM and REM – sleep – and their impact on neurodegenerative paths. They also investigated the role of sleep in cleaning up metabolic waste, such as amyloid-beta and Tau, but noticed against conflicting evidence on or consistently improves clearance efficiency.
The study assessed how long -term vigilance and fragmented sleep neuronal activity, neuro inflammation and homeostasis of the brain influence. Findings of animal models suggested that lack of sleep accelerates neurodegeneration by increasing the protein deposits and disturbing the neuronal function.
In addition, the study investigated neurotransmitters such as orexine, dopamine and acetylcholine in regulating sleep-wake cycles and their influence on disease progression. Researchers also investigated genetic predisposition for poor sleep and analyzes variants such as Apoe4, Dec2, ABCA7 and Trem2 to determine their role in cognitive decline.
Important insights
The study showed that disturbed sleep can contribute to neurodegeneration and at the same time serves as an early symptom. Poor sleep was linked to increased accumulation of neurotoxic proteins, reduced clearance and increased neuronal activity, activating inflammation and oxidative stress.
Freeded sleep correlated in both human and animal models and reduced slow-wave sleep correlated with early neurodegenerative changes. Those with genetic predisposition, such as Apoe4 carriers, experienced more significant sleep disorders and a higher dementia risk.
Different neurodegenerative disorders showed different sleep patterns. Alzheimer’s disease was associated with sleep fragmentation, while Parkinson’s and frontotemporal dementia often concerned excessive sleepiness during the day and REM sleep behavior disorder.
Improving sleep – due to behavioral changes, pharmacological interventions or sleep therapies – incorporated neurodegenerative processes in experimental models. Improvement of slow-wave sleep reduced amyloid burden and improved cognitive function in animal studies.
Researchers, however, saw knowledge lacunes, in particular in the distinguishing of causal connection with correlation in human studies. Although sleep disorders are linked to neurodegeneration, more research is needed to determine whether sleep interventions can delay the start of the disease.
Conclusions
The study strengthened the crucial role of brain’s health, which suggests that sleep disorders can accelerate neurodegeneration instead of just joining it. Improving sleep quality, especially deep sleep, can help protect against cognitive decline. Further research is needed to validate sleep -oriented therapies in people, but prioritizing sleep health can be essential in reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.