Deep Sleep’s Effect on Alzheimer’s Memory Loss Explored in New Study
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects a person’s memory, thinking, and behavior. Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for the disease. However, a new study by researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that deep sleep may help buffer memory loss in older adults facing Alzheimer’s disease.
The study, published in the BMC Medicine journal, explains that deep sleep can act as a “cognitive reserve factor” that may increase resilience against beta-amyloid, a protein in the brain linked to memory loss caused by dementia. Disrupted sleep has previously been associated with the faster accumulation of beta-amyloid protein in the brain. However, the new research reveals that superior amounts of deep, slow-wave sleep can act as a protective factor against memory decline in those with existing high amounts of Alzheimer’s disease pathology.
The study’s senior author, Matthew Walker, a UC Berkeley professor of neuroscience and psychology, says that “sleep is something we can change. It is a modifiable factor.” Therefore, this research indicates that deep sleep offers hope as a therapy to help higher functioning in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Related Facts
Approximately one in nine people aged 65 or older have Alzheimer’s disease. Over time, this proportion is expected to grow rapidly as the baby boomer generation ages.
Scientists have studied the ways in which beta-amyloid deposits destroy memory pathways and how deep sleep is foundational for memory retention.
The researchers discovered that the declining amount of a person’s deep sleep could act as a “crystal ball” to forecast a faster rate of future beta-amyloid buildup in the brain.
While cognitive reserve factors, such as past education or social networks, keep the mind sharp, sleep is something we can change.
Key Takeaway
This new study by the University of California, Berkeley, researchers shows that deep sleep can act as a protective factor against memory decline in older adults facing Alzheimer’s disease. The research suggests that deep sleep might help buffer against memory loss, thus providing hope for better functioning among people with Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore it is significant news for people who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Conclusion
This latest study by the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that deep sleep could benefit those who face Alzheimer’s disease. Disrupted sleep patterns have previously been associated with Alzheimer’s disease pathology. However, superior amounts of deep, slow-wave sleep can act as a protective factor against it. Furthermore, as cognitive reserve factors cannot be easily altered retroactively, deep sleep provides hope as a modifiable factor that may decrease memory decline in people with Alzheimer’s disease pathology. It is good news for the millions of people affected by Alzheimer’s disease and the researchers looking for cures.
