Your sleep may be hiding an early clue to Alzheimer’s
Frequent micro-awakenings during sleep were linked to higher genetic risk for Alzheimer’s in healthy middle-aged adults who had no symptoms. The discovery raises the possibility that subtle changes during sleep could offer an early warning signal years before memory problems appear.
Recent research at ULiège suggests that subtle changes during sleep may indicate an early vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease, years before memory issues become noticeable. Scientists examined sleep patterns in over 500 healthy individuals and found that middle-aged participants with more frequent nighttime micro awakenings had a higher genetic risk of developing Alzheimer's.
These micro awakenings, though brief, appear to disrupt normal sleep cycles without fully awakening the person. The study also highlighted the locus coeruleus, a tiny brain region crucial for wakefulness and sleep regulation, as an area where early Alzheimer's protein deposits may accumulate. While the research indicates a correlation between sleep characteristics and genetic risk, it does not establish causation.
Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and determine if sleep patterns can serve as an early warning sign for Alzheimer's.
Written by urgent.news from ScienceDaily Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Your sleep may be hiding an early clue to Alzheimer’s sciencedaily.com
