Early signal to Alzheimer’s is reduced deep sleep
According to a study, older people who get less deep sleep have higher levels of the brain protein tau, a sign of cognitive (thinking and reasoning) decline and Alzheimer’s disease.
The findings, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, suggest that poor-quality sleep in later life could be an early danger sign for deteriorating brain health.
Brendan Lucey, an assistant professor at the Washington University said, ‘What’s interesting is that we saw this inverse relationship between decreased slow-wave sleep and more tau protein in people who were either cognitively normal or very mildly impaired, meaning that reduced slow-wave activity may be a marker for the transition between normal and impaired.’
‘Measuring how people sleep may be a non-invasive way to screen for Alzheimer’s disease before or just as people begin to develop problems with memory and thinking,’ Lucey further added.
To be pre-warned of the danger to arrive, it may be a good idea to get sleep measured before or just when people begin to develop problems with memory and thinking! Could any steps be taken to prevent or minimize the impact of Alzheimer’s we have no clear answers yet.
